CVF-NEWS

Roadmap for CA Elections & OVF Summit

January 27, 2012

Hi Folks,

I hope your new year is off to a great start! I'm in Washington, D.C. this week to give a keynote address at the Overseas Vote Foundation's annual Summit Friday. I'll be discussing the need to expand voter access to tools that enable participation while also protecting voter data privacy. More details about the OVF summit are online (and my remarks will be posted later on the CVF homepage).

Last year I participated in the "Future of California Elections" convening, organized by the James Irvine Foundation to bring a number of people working in California elections together to come up with a shared vision for improving elections and voter participation in our state. The final "roadmap" is posted on CVF's web site, and the 10 principles are listed below. We at CVF are looking forward to working with others to further the principles and goals in this plan.

-- Kim Alexander, President & Founder
California Voter Foundation

Roadmap for the Future of California Elections
Guiding Principles (excerpt)

The policies and practices that govern California's elections - and the institutions and individuals responsible for administering them - should:

• Encourage full participation by all eligible citizens

• Ensure and protect equal access to participation regardless of age, race, language, income, education, disability or location

• Ensure that every eligible citizen can easily register to vote and that voter registration rolls are accurate and up-to-date

• Provide citizens with information about registration and voting - including information on candidates, ballot issues and voting instructions - in a variety of formats, including disability accessible formats, and languages - so that every voter can make informed voting choices and cast a meaningful and valid ballot

• Provide each voter with flexibility regarding options for casting a ballot

• Protect voters from intimidation and deception and ensure enforcement and compliance with all applicable laws protecting voters' rights and the integrity of the voting process

• Reflect the highest standards of transparency, accuracy and security and provide all citizens with justifiable confidence in election systems - including voting technology - and their outcomes

• Provide outreach and education to California's youth about the electoral process and the value of civic participation in order to foster a spirit of lifelong participation in all voters

• Guarantee that state and local governments provide resources in proportion to election administration requirements while holding election officials accountable for efficient and effective use of those funds

• Commit to seeking improvements of all kinds - from small fixes to big and fundamental changes - that make California's elections work for the voters of today and tomorrow

Read on for the full list of participants, goals and recommendations.

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P.O. Box 189277
Sacramento, CA 95818

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The California Voter Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting and applying the responsible use of technology to improve the democratic process. CVF-NEWS is a free, electronic newsletter featuring news and updates about the California Voter Foundation's projects and activities.

Contact the California Voter Foundation by:

phone - (916) 441-2494
web - http://www.calvoter.org
U.S. Mail - P.O. Box 189277, Sacramento, CA 95818

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This page was first published on January 27, 2012 | Last updated on January 27, 2012
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