Whenever there is an election for Secretary of State, I'm frequently asked for input on questions to be asked of the candidates. This year I've decided to post a list of suggested questions on my blog - here's hoping a few get asked today!
Ten Questions For Secretary of State Candidates
1. Many voters and would-be voters are uncomfortable with their
personal information being made available to secondary users such as political
parties and campaigns. As Secretary of State what if anything will you do to
address the public’s voter data privacy concerns?
2. Federal law requires state government agencies to offer the
public the opportunity to register to vote. What will you do as Secretary of
State to ensure this happens?
3. California currently offers no statewide online lookup tools
to help voters verify their registration status, locate their polling place or
check on the status of their vote-by-mail ballot. What will you do as Secretary
of State to provide voters with access to these kinds of tools?
4. There is widespread agreement that the Cal-Access online
disclosure system is in need of an overhaul. What specific changes do you want
to see made to this system and how will you bring those changes about if
elected Secretary of State?
5. Ten years ago California enacted a law
to require electronic ballots to be backed up with a voter-verified paper audit
trail. Do you support this law?
6. Funding for California counties has been withheld in the
state budget since 2011, when Governor Jerry Brown proposed and legislature agreed to
suspend the state mandated election programs and no longer provide funding to
counties to support those programs. This includes the permanent vote-by-mail
program which 43 percent of California’s registered voters are currently
enrolled in. As Secretary of State what will you do to ensure counties carry out state election laws in a uniform way?
7. Many vote-by-mail ballots go uncounted in California due to
late arrival or voter error. What would you do as Secretary of State to reduce
the state’s unsuccessful vote-by-mail ballot rate (among the highest in the
nation according to Pew’s Election Performance Index) and get more VBM ballots
to be cast successfully and counted?
8. What is your opinion about voting over the Internet?
9. What guarantee can you give to California voters that their
ballot was counted correctly? What will you do as Secretary of State to ensure
the integrity and accuracy of California’s vote count?
10. Funding for the Secretary of State is provided for in the
state budget. As Secretary of State what will you do to ensure that the
Legislature and the Governor provide your agency with adequate funding to
ensure you can carry out your duties as well as any additional goals and
programs you wish to pursue?
