California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday signed an executive order permitting all registered voters in the Golden State to vote by mail in the upcoming presidential election, citing concerns stemming from the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
“I signed an executive order that will allow every registered voter in California to receive a mail-in ballot,” Newsom said. “That mail-in ballot is important but it’s not an exclusive substitute to physical locations.”
“People that are otherwise not familiar with mail-in ballots, are uncomfortable with them, may have disabilities, may have other issues that may preclude that as an appropriate option, we still want to have the appropriate number of physical sites for people to vote as well,” the governor added.
Bank robbery suspect allegedly steals kitten, asks employee to hold it before demanding cash
Multiple rescued from pontoon boat near Alcatraz as search continues for missing persons
Biden special counsel’s ‘runaway train’ scooped up sensitive lawmaker info: ‘Abuse of power’
Congressman sounds the alarm on China: ‘We’re sleepwalking through this competition’
Shock Video: Machete Fight Breaks Out in Middle of England Intersection, Man Recording Says This Insanity Happens ‘Day In and Day Out’
House passes daylight saving time reform as Trump signals support for ending clock change
How long can Iran play its energy card?
WATCH: Elissa Slotkin says SAVE America Act would make it ‘hard for any Democrat’ to win an election
Florida men indicted in armed home invasion where suspect posed as utility worker, 13-year-old zip-tied: DOJ
California inmate who spent 45 years on death row for murdering pregnant wife dies
Punks Beat Pro Poker Winner Back to His Airbnb, Ambushed and Hogtied Him, Stole All His Winnings
Trump revives his decades-old Iran warning as US ramps up military pressure: ‘remarkably consistent’
‘This is not normal’: AOC unloads on McConnell’s prolonged absence
Amy Coney Barrett recalls heartbreaking question from 12-year-old son over bulletproof vest
Senate Dems draw rare line against must-pass Pentagon bill
WATCH: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to allow all registered voters in California the ability to vote by mail for the November election.
An "appropriate" number of physical locations to vote at will still be available. https://t.co/LV2wPAd58o pic.twitter.com/QGmFVd8kdD
— NBC 7 San Diego (@nbcsandiego) May 8, 2020
Newsom said while offering voters the chance to vote by mail, he is committed to providing the ability to vote at a physical location on election day.
“There’s a lot of concern and excitement around this November’s election in terms of making sure that you can conduct yourself in a safe way and to make sure your health is protected and to make sure we are reaching out to all registered, eligible voters,” the governor stated. “And giving them the opportunity, giving them the choice not to feel like they have to go into a concentrated, dense environment where their health may be at risk but provide an additional asset and additional resources by way of voting by mail.”
In a statement to CNN, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh slammed the move by Newsom, calling it a “thinly-veiled political tactic” to “undermine” election security.
JUST IN: the @realDonaldTrump campaign has responded to this news out of California.. Spox @TimMurtaugh tells @CNN said this move will “undermine election security”.
Full statement:
via @DJJudd https://t.co/jSHczb9fei pic.twitter.com/fk3HHjQhSS— Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) May 8, 2020
Newsom’s order comes as Democrats across the country are pushing efforts to allow voters to vote-by-mail in the 2020 election, despite concerns of potential voter fraud. On Wednesday, Reps. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) went as far as to call for vote-by-mail to be permitted beyond the election.
Bank robbery suspect allegedly steals kitten, asks employee to hold it before demanding cash
Multiple rescued from pontoon boat near Alcatraz as search continues for missing persons
Biden special counsel’s ‘runaway train’ scooped up sensitive lawmaker info: ‘Abuse of power’
Congressman sounds the alarm on China: ‘We’re sleepwalking through this competition’
Shock Video: Machete Fight Breaks Out in Middle of England Intersection, Man Recording Says This Insanity Happens ‘Day In and Day Out’
House passes daylight saving time reform as Trump signals support for ending clock change
How long can Iran play its energy card?
WATCH: Elissa Slotkin says SAVE America Act would make it ‘hard for any Democrat’ to win an election
Florida men indicted in armed home invasion where suspect posed as utility worker, 13-year-old zip-tied: DOJ
California inmate who spent 45 years on death row for murdering pregnant wife dies
Punks Beat Pro Poker Winner Back to His Airbnb, Ambushed and Hogtied Him, Stole All His Winnings
Trump revives his decades-old Iran warning as US ramps up military pressure: ‘remarkably consistent’
‘This is not normal’: AOC unloads on McConnell’s prolonged absence
Amy Coney Barrett recalls heartbreaking question from 12-year-old son over bulletproof vest
Senate Dems draw rare line against must-pass Pentagon bill
“If we don’t act fast, we will jeopardize participation in what may be the most important election of our lifetime. People will stay home. Disproportionately, those people will be of color, who live in neighborhoods most likely to lose polling locations,” the Democrat lawmakers wrote in an op-ed for The Hill. “They’ll be students, single parents, and low-wage workers, who can’t put their lives on hold to go vote. They’ll be seniors and medically-vulnerable patients, who would be literally risking their lives just to cast their ballots. So a privileged few will get to decide our country’s trajectory while the people most impacted by this crisis are forced to forfeit their voice.”
Recent data has not shown a compelling public health justification for vote-by-mail. Wisconsin is one of the only U.S. states that held its primary election with in-person voting after the coronavirus lockdown began. Only a few dozen people at maximum were confirmed to have contracted the virus after participating either as voters or poll workers, and none of those cases were fatal. Out of the 413,000 participants, that equals an infection rate below two-hundredths of one percent. Just days later, South Korea held national elections which did not result in any new coronavirus cases.
Story cited here.
