FOCE 2020 Virtual Conference: Responding to This Moment in Elections

May 14, 2020

This conference convened soon after California Governor Newsom’s announcement that every California voter would receive a ballot by mail for the November 2020 General Election. To view the entire conference, click here ^[1]. For conference highlights only, click here ^[2].

Welcome by Rosalind Gold, Chief Public Policy Officer, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, FoCE Advisory Board Chair ^[3]

Opening Remarks by The Honorable Alex Padilla, California Secretary of State ^[4]

Panel One: Is California prepared for November 2020? Introduction by Cathy Darling Allen, County Clerk and Registrar of Voters, Shasta County, FoCE Advisory Board Member ^[5]

• Moderator: Jessica Huseman, Reporter, ProPublica
• Neal Kelley, Registrar of Voters, Orange County, California ^[6]
• Fred Nisen, Supervising Attorney for Voting Rights, Disability Rights California ^[7]
• James Schwab, Chief Deputy Secretary of State, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla ^[8]

Panel Two: What do we consider when expanding voting by mail in a state as diverse as California? Introduction by Paul R. Spencer, Staff Attorney for Voting Rights, Disability Rights California, FoCE Advisory Board Member ^[9]

• Moderator: Kim Alexander, President and Founder, California Voter Foundation ^[10]
• Courtney Bailey-Kanelos, Registrar of Voters, Sacramento County ^[11]
• Mindy S. Romero, Director, USC California Civic Engagement Project ^[12]
• James Woodson, Senior Policy Manager, California Calls ^[13]

Panel Three: How do we ensure language access in elections through a COVID-19 response? Introduction by Katy Flaherty, Project Coordinator, Future of California Elections. ^[14]

• Moderator: Jonathan Mehta Stein, Executive Director, California Common Cause
• Rosalind Gold, Chief Public Policy Officer, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund
• Julia Marks, Staff Attorney, Voting Rights and Census, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Asian Law Caucus
• Eren Mendez, Elections Outreach Coordinator, Contra Costa County

Closing Remarks by Ben Hovland, Election Assistance Commission, Chair. Introduction by Guadalupe Flores, Deputy Director, Communications and Outreach, Future of California Elections. ^[15]

Final Reflections by Astrid Ochoa, Executive Director, Future of California Elections. ^[16]