Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that California will establish hundreds of locations around the state where voters can cast ballots in-person, a month after he decided to send every registered voter a mail-in ballot for the November election.
The decision is an effort by the administration to balance the necessity of protecting public health during the coronavirus outbreak, while recognizing that some residents want, or need, to vote in person.
"We are committed to protecting the hard-fought right for Californians to make their voices heard this November, even in the face of a pandemic," Newsom said in a statement.
In a tweet, state Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, a Republican from Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento, called the order unlawful and another reason to lift Newsom’s broad emergency powers during the virus outbreak.
The governor's office said the order would ensure in-person voting options are available in sufficient numbers to allow voters to maintain physical distancing. Counties must open a minimum of one in-person voting location for every 10,000 registered voters, beginning the Saturday before Election Day. The executive order also requires ballot drop-box locations be available between Oct. 6 and Nov. 3.