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The U.S. Department of Justice sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot counting in Los Angeles County after President Donald Trump alleged, without evidence, that delays in counting ballots were the result of election fraud. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At issue here is the reliance on admittedly flawed and incomplete data to create a list of individuals for HSI to interview in the months leading up to an election,” Martinéz-Olguín wrote in her ruling. “Including the rollout of a social media campaign publishing photos and videos of individuals being arrested.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. Department of Justice relied on the same data to identify 28 noncitizens in California and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105139/federal-prosecutors-charge-28-california-green-card-holders-with-voting-violations\">charge them with election offenses\u003c/a> on Monday, in an escalation of tensions over the state’s voting process. The individuals are all lawful permanent residents, otherwise referred to as green card holders, according to the department.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, the U.S. government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">sued California and Los Angeles County over their voter rolls\u003c/a>, two days after it demanded the state provide proof of citizenship for around 20,000 registered voters it believes may be noncitizens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ asked a court to block California election officials from counting their ballots. The state has asked the Justice Department for information about how it determined the registrants in question were likely ineligible, but state officials said they have not received it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, this week’s ruling temporarily blocks DHS in its latest effort to root out alleged voter fraud, which the department documented in a recent social media campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“HSI in Northern California will investigate any allegations of noncitizen voting and is committed to ensuring the enforcement of federal election law,” HSI NorCal wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/HSISanFrancisco/status/2098537887965077953\">social media post\u003c/a> last month. The post is accompanied by photos of armed agents approaching what appear to be front doors at private residences.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Martinéz-Olguín’s ruling blocks the practice starting Friday through Election Day. The judge also said, “The federal government has a vested interest in free elections untainted by the threat that officers will dissuade voter engagement programs from conducting their core civic functions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a win for advocacy groups including the California Nurses Association and the Voto Latino Foundation, both plaintiffs in the case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Today, the courts affirmed a vital principle of our democracy: Voting is a fundamental right that citizens — whether born here or naturalized — should be able to exercise without armed government agents harassing them,” Beau Tremitiere, an attorney with the Protect Democracy Project who argued on behalf of plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Justice relied on the same data to identify 28 noncitizens in California and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105139/federal-prosecutors-charge-28-california-green-card-holders-with-voting-violations\">charge them with election offenses\u003c/a> on Monday, in an escalation of tensions over the state’s voting process. The individuals are all lawful permanent residents, otherwise referred to as green card holders, according to the department.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The DOJ asked a court to block California election officials from counting their ballots. The state has asked the Justice Department for information about how it determined the registrants in question were likely ineligible, but state officials said they have not received it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, this week’s ruling temporarily blocks DHS in its latest effort to root out alleged voter fraud, which the department documented in a recent social media campaign.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“HSI in Northern California will investigate any allegations of noncitizen voting and is committed to ensuring the enforcement of federal election law,” HSI NorCal wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/HSISanFrancisco/status/2098537887965077953\">social media post\u003c/a> last month. The post is accompanied by photos of armed agents approaching what appear to be front doors at private residences.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Martinéz-Olguín’s ruling blocks the practice starting Friday through Election Day. The judge also said, “The federal government has a vested interest in free elections untainted by the threat that officers will dissuade voter engagement programs from conducting their core civic functions.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Martinéz-Olguín’s ruling blocks the practice starting Friday through Election Day. The judge also said, “The federal government has a vested interest in free elections untainted by the threat that officers will dissuade voter engagement programs from conducting their core civic functions.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today, the courts affirmed a vital principle of our democracy: Voting is a fundamental right that citizens — whether born here or naturalized — should be able to exercise without armed government agents harassing them,” Beau Tremitiere, an attorney with the Protect Democracy Project who argued on behalf of plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Just weeks before Election Day, a federal judge has ordered a halt to the interrogations, arguing that they could intimidate eligible voters and questioning the government’s data.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge in Oakland has temporarily blocked the U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/department-of-homeland-security\">Department of Homeland Security\u003c/a> from sending armed agents to interrogate registered voters it suspects are noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 3 midterm election, DHS and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have surged field investigations in nine states, including California, sending agents to the homes of people who the agency said may have registered illegally. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voter and immigrant rights advocates — in a coalition joined by the city and county of San Francisco and Santa Clara County — sued to block the practice, arguing that interrogations by armed agents could intimidate eligible voters ahead of the midterm election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a preliminary injunction issued late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinéz-Olguín ruled that the practice violates the federal Voting Rights Act and questioned the data that the federal government used to identify those it believes are ineligible to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1353\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaElection2026Getty-e1781204236548.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12087079\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An election worker processes mail-in ballots for the California state primary election at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center on June 5, 2026, in City of Industry, California. The U.S. Department of Justice sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot counting in Los Angeles County after President Donald Trump alleged, without evidence, that delays in counting ballots were the result of election fraud. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At issue here is the reliance on admittedly flawed and incomplete data to create a list of individuals for HSI to interview in the months leading up to an election,” Martinéz-Olguín wrote in her ruling. “Including the rollout of a social media campaign publishing photos and videos of individuals being arrested.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. Department of Justice relied on the same data to identify 28 noncitizens in California and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105139/federal-prosecutors-charge-28-california-green-card-holders-with-voting-violations\">charge them with election offenses\u003c/a> on Monday, in an escalation of tensions over the state’s voting process. The individuals are all lawful permanent residents, otherwise referred to as green card holders, according to the department.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, the U.S. government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">sued California and Los Angeles County over their voter rolls\u003c/a>, two days after it demanded the state provide proof of citizenship for around 20,000 registered voters it believes may be noncitizens. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ asked a court to block California election officials from counting their ballots. The state has asked the Justice Department for information about how it determined the registrants in question were likely ineligible, but state officials said they have not received it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, this week’s ruling temporarily blocks DHS in its latest effort to root out alleged voter fraud, which the department documented in a recent social media campaign.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“HSI in Northern California will investigate any allegations of noncitizen voting and is committed to ensuring the enforcement of federal election law,” HSI NorCal wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/HSISanFrancisco/status/2098537887965077953\">social media post\u003c/a> last month. The post is accompanied by photos of armed agents approaching what appear to be front doors at private residences.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Martinéz-Olguín’s ruling blocks the practice starting Friday through Election Day. The judge also said, “The federal government has a vested interest in free elections untainted by the threat that officers will dissuade voter engagement programs from conducting their core civic functions.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s a win for advocacy groups including the California Nurses Association and the Voto Latino Foundation, both plaintiffs in the case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Today, the courts affirmed a vital principle of our democracy: Voting is a fundamental right that citizens — whether born here or naturalized — should be able to exercise without armed government agents harassing them,” Beau Tremitiere, an attorney with the Protect Democracy Project who argued on behalf of plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-state-workers-ready-for-a-one-day-strike",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Wednesday, October 21, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Workers at the DMV, unemployment offices and other state agencies represented by SEIU 100 have never gone on strike before. That’s expected to change today. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>One statewide ballot seeks to limit the environmental review process on some new projects. Environmental activists are concerned. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>One race in Bakersfield is drawing in some political heavyweights, including Bernie Sanders. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/state-worker-strike-dmv-edd-services/\">California State Workers Are About to Strike. What That Means for the DMV, EDD, Parks and More\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tens of thousands of state government workers are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/seiu-local-1000-strike-authorization/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expected to walk off the job\u003c/a> today in a one-day strike that could affect services at the DMV, unemployment offices and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members of SEIU Local 1000 are protesting what they argue are bad-faith bargaining practices by Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/why-are-state-workers-striking/\">Gavin Newsom’s\u003c/a> administration. The union has been negotiating a new labor agreement since its latest three-year contract expired on June 30, and the strike would be Local 1000’s first statewide walkout in its 44-year history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union represents about 100,000 public workers, with members employed in dozens of agencies across California. They’re accountants, government analysts, nurses, IT workers, custodians and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102167/prop-45-faster-environmental-reviews-for-certain-projects\">Prop 45: Faster Environmental Reviews for Certain Projects\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For years now, state lawmakers have wanted to change the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA, to fast-track housing and energy projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102167/prop-45-faster-environmental-reviews-for-certain-projects\">Prop. 45\u003c/a> doesn’t get rid of environmental review, but it would impose a 365-day limit on those reviews and limit public comment to just 45 days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would only apply to projects the state deems essential. That includes infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as housing, hospitals, broadband and schools.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters say the prop would speed up critical infrastructure projects and reduce costs for taxpayers and consumers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents fear it could let projects that are harmful to the environment get built without public input.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-10-16/both-candidates-in-house-district-22-say-they-can-win-their-race-polls-tell-a-different-story\">Both candidates in House District 22 say they can win their race. Polls tell a different story.\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bakersfield is not usually a destination for big political names – except when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was still in Congress. But this year’s midterm election has changed that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California’s 22nd congressional district, which covers parts of five San Joaquin Valley counties, has become one of the most hotly contested congressional seats in the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some big names have shown up at recent campaign events, where voters are deciding who to support in the race.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>One statewide ballot seeks to limit the environmental review process on some new projects. Environmental activists are concerned. \u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>One race in Bakersfield is drawing in some political heavyweights, including Bernie Sanders. \u003c/li>\n",
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"text": "California State Workers Are About to Strike. What That Means for the DMV, EDD, Parks and More",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/state-worker-strike-dmv-edd-services/\">California State Workers Are About to Strike. What That Means for the DMV, EDD, Parks and More\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tens of thousands of state government workers are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/seiu-local-1000-strike-authorization/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expected to walk off the job\u003c/a> today in a one-day strike that could affect services at the DMV, unemployment offices and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For years now, state lawmakers have wanted to change the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA, to fast-track housing and energy projects.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102167/prop-45-faster-environmental-reviews-for-certain-projects\">Prop. 45\u003c/a> doesn’t get rid of environmental review, but it would impose a 365-day limit on those reviews and limit public comment to just 45 days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure would only apply to projects the state deems essential. That includes infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as housing, hospitals, broadband and schools.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bakersfield is not usually a destination for big political names – except when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was still in Congress. But this year’s midterm election has changed that. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s 22nd congressional district, which covers parts of five San Joaquin Valley counties, has become one of the most hotly contested congressional seats in the country. \u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A planned one-day strike could impact services at the DMV, unemployment offices and more. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories for Wednesday, October 21, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Workers at the DMV, unemployment offices and other state agencies represented by SEIU 100 have never gone on strike before. That’s expected to change today. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>One statewide ballot seeks to limit the environmental review process on some new projects. Environmental activists are concerned. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>One race in Bakersfield is drawing in some political heavyweights, including Bernie Sanders. \u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/state-worker-strike-dmv-edd-services/\">California State Workers Are About to Strike. What That Means for the DMV, EDD, Parks and More\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tens of thousands of state government workers are \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/seiu-local-1000-strike-authorization/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expected to walk off the job\u003c/a> today in a one-day strike that could affect services at the DMV, unemployment offices and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members of SEIU Local 1000 are protesting what they argue are bad-faith bargaining practices by Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/why-are-state-workers-striking/\">Gavin Newsom’s\u003c/a> administration. The union has been negotiating a new labor agreement since its latest three-year contract expired on June 30, and the strike would be Local 1000’s first statewide walkout in its 44-year history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The union represents about 100,000 public workers, with members employed in dozens of agencies across California. They’re accountants, government analysts, nurses, IT workers, custodians and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102167/prop-45-faster-environmental-reviews-for-certain-projects\">Prop 45: Faster Environmental Reviews for Certain Projects\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For years now, state lawmakers have wanted to change the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA, to fast-track housing and energy projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102167/prop-45-faster-environmental-reviews-for-certain-projects\">Prop. 45\u003c/a> doesn’t get rid of environmental review, but it would impose a 365-day limit on those reviews and limit public comment to just 45 days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would only apply to projects the state deems essential. That includes infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as housing, hospitals, broadband and schools.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters say the prop would speed up critical infrastructure projects and reduce costs for taxpayers and consumers.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opponents fear it could let projects that are harmful to the environment get built without public input.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kvpr.org/government-politics/2026-10-16/both-candidates-in-house-district-22-say-they-can-win-their-race-polls-tell-a-different-story\">Both candidates in House District 22 say they can win their race. Polls tell a different story.\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bakersfield is not usually a destination for big political names – except when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was still in Congress. But this year’s midterm election has changed that. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California’s 22nd congressional district, which covers parts of five San Joaquin Valley counties, has become one of the most hotly contested congressional seats in the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some big names have shown up at recent campaign events, where voters are deciding who to support in the race.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent-2",
"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Bay Area voters are hoping ballot measures will provide some relief on rising rents.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice arrests more than two dozen Californian green card holders for alleged voter fraud.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105076/as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent\">Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities to Decide on Rent Caps\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the East Bay town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-federal-arrests-voter-fraud/\">Federal prosecutors charge 28 California green card holders with voting violations\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Twenty-eight immigrants from across California are \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/11-foreign-nationals-arrested-california-federal-charges-alleging-they-illegally\">facing federal charges\u003c/a> alleging they illegally registered to vote or voted in California elections, federal prosecutors announced Monday in the Trump administration’s latest effort to imply California election rolls are riddled with fraudulent voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The charges come days after \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-sues-california-voting/\">federal authorities filed\u003c/a> a lawsuit against state and Los Angeles County election officials that seeks to force elections officials not to count up to 20,000 registered voters’ ballots because federal prosecutors suspect those voters could be non-citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today’s charges demonstrate why that lawsuit is so important,” Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter told reporters. “It’s about preventing voter fraud that cancels out the votes of U.S. citizens. Enforcing federal law increases the integrity of elections.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>McCotter said federal prosecutors filed a motion urging the judge overseeing the lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles to order state officials to segregate the ballots that prosecutors suspect may have already been mailed to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters at an event Monday that voter fraud is wrong. If the suspects are guilty, they should be held accountable, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Bonta noted that the charges are hardly proof that California’s elections are filled with fraudulent voters as President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Twenty-eight out of 23 million registered voters in California is just … a drop in the bucket numerically,” Bonta said. “It’s 0.0001% of all the registered voters, and it makes the point that there is no widespread voter fraud.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice arrests more than two dozen Californian green card holders for alleged voter fraud.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Twenty-eight immigrants from across California are \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/11-foreign-nationals-arrested-california-federal-charges-alleging-they-illegally\">facing federal charges\u003c/a> alleging they illegally registered to vote or voted in California elections, federal prosecutors announced Monday in the Trump administration’s latest effort to imply California election rolls are riddled with fraudulent voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The charges come days after \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-sues-california-voting/\">federal authorities filed\u003c/a> a lawsuit against state and Los Angeles County election officials that seeks to force elections officials not to count up to 20,000 registered voters’ ballots because federal prosecutors suspect those voters could be non-citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Today’s charges demonstrate why that lawsuit is so important,” Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter told reporters. “It’s about preventing voter fraud that cancels out the votes of U.S. citizens. Enforcing federal law increases the integrity of elections.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>McCotter said federal prosecutors filed a motion urging the judge overseeing the lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles to order state officials to segregate the ballots that prosecutors suspect may have already been mailed to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Today’s charges demonstrate why that lawsuit is so important,” Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter told reporters. “It’s about preventing voter fraud that cancels out the votes of U.S. citizens. Enforcing federal law increases the integrity of elections.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>McCotter said federal prosecutors filed a motion urging the judge overseeing the lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles to order state officials to segregate the ballots that prosecutors suspect may have already been mailed to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters at an event Monday that voter fraud is wrong. If the suspects are guilty, they should be held accountable, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Bonta noted that the charges are hardly proof that California’s elections are filled with fraudulent voters as President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Twenty-eight out of 23 million registered voters in California is just … a drop in the bucket numerically,” Bonta said. “It’s 0.0001% of all the registered voters, and it makes the point that there is no widespread voter fraud.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Bay Area voters are hoping ballot measures will provide some relief on rising rents.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The U.S. Department of Justice arrests more than two dozen Californian green card holders for alleged voter fraud.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105076/as-costs-rise-voters-in-3-bay-area-cities-could-cap-one-of-them-rent\">Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities to Decide on Rent Caps\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the East Bay town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-federal-arrests-voter-fraud/\">Federal prosecutors charge 28 California green card holders with voting violations\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Twenty-eight immigrants from across California are \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/11-foreign-nationals-arrested-california-federal-charges-alleging-they-illegally\">facing federal charges\u003c/a> alleging they illegally registered to vote or voted in California elections, federal prosecutors announced Monday in the Trump administration’s latest effort to imply California election rolls are riddled with fraudulent voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The charges come days after \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-sues-california-voting/\">federal authorities filed\u003c/a> a lawsuit against state and Los Angeles County election officials that seeks to force elections officials not to count up to 20,000 registered voters’ ballots because federal prosecutors suspect those voters could be non-citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Today’s charges demonstrate why that lawsuit is so important,” Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter told reporters. “It’s about preventing voter fraud that cancels out the votes of U.S. citizens. Enforcing federal law increases the integrity of elections.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>McCotter said federal prosecutors filed a motion urging the judge overseeing the lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles to order state officials to segregate the ballots that prosecutors suspect may have already been mailed to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Attorney General Rob Bonta told reporters at an event Monday that voter fraud is wrong. If the suspects are guilty, they should be held accountable, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But Bonta noted that the charges are hardly proof that California’s elections are filled with fraudulent voters as President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Twenty-eight out of 23 million registered voters in California is just … a drop in the bucket numerically,” Bonta said. “It’s 0.0001% of all the registered voters, and it makes the point that there is no widespread voter fraud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Voters in San Pablo, Redwood City and Berkeley will weigh rent protections this November. For some mobile home owners, the outcome could determine whether they can afford to stay in their homes.",
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"title": "As Costs Rise, Voters in 3 Bay Area Cities Could Cap One of Them: Rent | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Linda Jackson and her son moved into the Willow Mobile Home Park in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/east-bay\">East Bay \u003c/a>town of San Pablo five years ago, they paid roughly $900 to rent the space where they parked the home they own. The costs for their mortgage and rent felt manageable. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We can be comfortable,” the 75-year-old recalled thinking. “We can do this.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, however, Jackson’s monthly rent has climbed to just over $1,200. And another increase scheduled for January will bring it to nearly $1,300.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’ve never been so distraught,” Jackson said, adding she’s living “day-to-day.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, after organizing her neighbors and pressing city leaders for relief, Jackson wants voters to join the fight. She is supporting Measure S, a rent control proposal on San Pablo’s November ballot — one of three in Bay Area cities where voters are considering new rent limits or stronger protections under existing rent-control laws. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12105120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/260117-HarmonySanPablo-08-BL_qed-847d67d4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Residents of Willow Mobile Home Park and the neighboring Creekside Village Mobile Home Park meet in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026, to discuss rent increases at the parks. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“My prayer is that Measure S provides some sort of relief for us,” Jackson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants in San Pablo have pushed for a citywide rent cap for years. Redwood City voters will also consider a new rent cap this election, and Berkeley is weighing changes to its existing rent-control rules. But San Pablo’s proposal also covers mobile home parks, a response to recent rent hikes that have hit residents hard as they try to hold onto one of the few remaining paths to affordable homeownership in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative for Harmony Communities, which manages Willow, said the annual increases are intended to keep pace with rising operating costs. The company said its expenses rose roughly 6% last year, while its rent adjustments average about 4.5%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Measure S would limit yearly rent increases for multi-unit rental housing built before Feb. 1, 1995, to 3% or 60% of the regional inflation rate, whichever is lower. The cap would also cover eligible mobile home rentals and the lots residents rent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some property owners, including the California Apartment Association, said the measures would also limit their ability to keep up with rising insurance and maintenance costs. That could lead owners to sell their buildings or spend less on upkeep, while doing little to address the housing shortage or lower already-high prices, said Joshua Howard, the executive vice president of local public affairs for the association.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research on rent control points to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12008424/prop-33-rent-control-is-on-the-ballot-again-election-2024-california\">mix of benefits and trade-offs\u003c/a>. Studies have \u003ca href=\"https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2023/01/2018RentMattersPERE.pdf\">found\u003c/a> it can help people stay in their homes and keep communities together. Others have also \u003ca href=\"http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/aer.20181289\">found\u003c/a> it can prompt owners to take rentals off the market, leaving fewer options and higher costs for people looking for a home.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Pablo should instead focus on building housing and providing rental assistance,” Howard said. “We don’t need more local laws regulating the rental housing industry.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Jackson said the measure would offer a defense against future rent increases, while she also juggles other rising costs. Water, sewer, trash and storm drain charges have also increased, bringing her current monthly bill to about $1,450, according to a statement reviewed by KQED. That is more than the roughly $1,044 she said she receives from Social Security after medical deductions. She works part time and sometimes borrows from her son to cover expenses.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Wherever I’m short, I have to ask him for it,” she said. “But I still got a phone bill, car insurance, food, gas, entertainment — if I dare to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080882\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Linda Jackson helps fellow resident Clara Faria with her jacket during a meeting at Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. Residents are calling on the city to adopt rent protections as they face rising and unpredictable rent hikes at both mobile home parks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her concerns echo those in an earlier \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12079706/theyre-bleeding-us-dry-seniors-struggle-with-rent-hikes-evictions-in-california-mobile-home-parks\">KQED investigation\u003c/a> into Harmony Communities, the Stockton-based company that manages Willow. Interviews with nearly two dozen residents and lawyers revealed repeated rent increases and confusing notices at parks associated with the company, leaving some low-income residents afraid of losing their homes. For example, Jackson’s latest rent increase includes a $300 monthly credit that offsets an additional rent increase from last year. The credit can be removed at any time, according to a notice reviewed by KQED. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We understand that many residents are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we do not take rent adjustments lightly,” Nick Ubaldi, a spokesperson for Harmony, said in a statement. “These annual increases help maintain the property and services residents rely on.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But for Jackson and her neighbors, the increases have meant tighter budgets and mounting stress.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That prompted Jackson and her neighbors to bring their concerns directly to the San Pablo City Council, joining a broader community campaign for tenant protections led by the nonprofit Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12080879\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/260117-HarmonySanPablo-07-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Willow Mobile Home Park in San Pablo on Jan. 17, 2026. The park is a privately owned 55-and-older community owned by Harmony Communities. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the face of inaction from the city council, we worked together to create a policy that would improve residents’ lives,” said Rhea Laughlin, executive director of Rising Juntos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughlin noted that although mobile home residents own their homes, renting the land beneath them leaves them uniquely vulnerable to skyrocketing space rents. These communities often include seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income families with few affordable alternatives in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If voters pass Measure S, San Pablo would join 95 cities and 11 counties in California, or roughly a fifth of the state’s local jurisdictions, that already limit rent increases for mobile home spaces, according to the Mobile Home Park Home Owners Allegiance. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When long-time residents are priced out, we lose more than individual households,” Laughlin said. “We lose relationships, community networks, cultural history, and the people who have invested decades in making San Pablo what it is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city hired consulting firm RSG to analyze how the proposal could affect San Pablo’s housing market and what it would cost to administer. Its report estimated the program would cost up to around $2.4 million annually to administer. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The report found mixed evidence on how rent control affects housing availability and said the effects in San Pablo would depend on local market conditions and how the program is structured. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tenants living in their homes on July 1, 2025, would use what they paid then as the starting rent for calculating increases, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RjmkR2L7UmlyqjyZ36XhkzFlV4flZIj6/view?usp=sharing\">report\u003c/a>. Those who moved in afterward would use their move-in rent. Owners could seek increases above the cap to earn a fair return.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The measure would also limit the reasons landlords can evict tenants and require them to help pay moving costs for tenants displaced through owner move-ins and other limited circumstances. Tenants and landlords could bring complaints and rent disputes to the city. Landlords could ask permission to raise rents above the cap if needed to earn a fair return, and fees of up to $120 per unit, paid by landlords, would cover the cost of running the program.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Howard said a more effective system for both apartment owners and tenants would be short-term rental assistance. Asked how short-term assistance would help Jackson, who lives on a fixed income and faces repeated rent increases, he encouraged residents and property owners to work together.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jackson hopes Measure S will let her stay in the home she and her son bought. Without relief, she said, they may have to sell and leave California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s no way we can just keep giving,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "wheres-my-ballot-midterm-election-2026-need-replacement-ballot-vote-for-governor",
"title": "Midterms 2026: My Ballot Never Showed Up. How Can I Still Vote?",
"publishDate": 1792432816,
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"headTitle": "Midterms 2026: My Ballot Never Showed Up. How Can I Still Vote? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Election Day — your last day to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california\">vote\u003c/a> — is just two weeks away, on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And every registered California voter will receive a mail-in ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But what if your ballot still hasn’t shown up yet?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline for Bay Area counties to start mailing out their ballots was Oct. 5, so if you’re registered to vote, your ballot should have shown up by now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But don’t worry: You have time — and several options — to fix things and make sure you get to cast your vote by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103658\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Itzel Diaz drops off her ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking for information about what’s on your ballot instead? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide\u003c/a>, including information about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California’s governor race. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’ve made a mistake on your ballot, we also have a guide to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to address different kinds of ballot — and signature — goofs.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#quickest\">What’s the quickest way to get a replacement ballot?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, check if your voter registration is correct — and if your ballot was actually sent out\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This site will show whether you’re correctly registered to vote and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">Read our guide to making sure you’re correctly registered to vote.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? Tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finding out if your voter registration is correct will help you determine next steps in getting your ballot:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot was sent to the wrong address\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If it turns out your ballot was missing because your voter registration wasn’t updated, don’t feel bad — people move all the time and forget to update their registrations accordingly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19. But if you missed that date, you can still \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">re-register with your new address in person through Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”). \u003c/a>You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">The first vote centers open \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening on Halloween, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If it’s more than six days before Election Day, you can just \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">call your county elections office \u003c/a>and ask them to send a new ballot. Scroll to the bottom of this story to find your Bay Area county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day because it can’t be sure the ballot will reach you in time. So, if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your county elections office is also already open for early voting through Election Day, so you could also go there and vote in person at the same time. \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">More early voting locations will be opening throughout October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote or need to re-register to update details like your address or your legal name, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">Same Day Registration\u003c/a> at an open voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot showed up but it has your former name on it\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve legally changed your name since you last voted in California, you’ll need to re-register to vote with your current (new) name.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19, and if you miss that date you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">\u003c/a>re-register with your new address in person through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”)\u003c/a>. You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you when many early voting locations open around the Bay Area starting Oct. 24. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">Read more about how to find your closest voting location.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quickest\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Election Day — your last day to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california\">vote\u003c/a> — is just two weeks away, on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And every registered California voter will receive a mail-in ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Election Day — your last day to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california\">vote\u003c/a> — is just two weeks away, on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And every registered California voter will receive a mail-in ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But what if your ballot still hasn’t shown up yet?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But what if your ballot still hasn’t shown up yet?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deadline for Bay Area counties to start mailing out their ballots was Oct. 5, so if you’re registered to vote, your ballot should have shown up by now.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The deadline for Bay Area counties to start mailing out their ballots was Oct. 5, so if you’re registered to vote, your ballot should have shown up by now.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But don’t worry: You have time — and several options — to fix things and make sure you get to cast your vote by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But don’t worry: You have time — and several options — to fix things and make sure you get to cast your vote by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103658\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Itzel Diaz drops off her ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103658\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Itzel Diaz drops off her ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Looking for information about what’s on your ballot instead? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide\u003c/a>, including information about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California’s governor race. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Looking for information about what’s on your ballot instead? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide\u003c/a>, including information about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California’s governor race. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you’ve made a mistake on your ballot, we also have a guide to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to address different kinds of ballot — and signature — goofs.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you’ve made a mistake on your ballot, we also have a guide to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to address different kinds of ballot — and signature — goofs.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#quickest\">What’s the quickest way to get a replacement ballot?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#quickest\">What’s the quickest way to get a replacement ballot?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "First, check if your voter registration is correct — and if your ballot was actually sent out",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, check if your voter registration is correct — and if your ballot was actually sent out\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This site will show whether you’re correctly registered to vote and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">Read our guide to making sure you’re correctly registered to vote.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This site will show whether you’re correctly registered to vote and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">Read our guide to making sure you’re correctly registered to vote.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? Tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? Tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Finding out if your voter registration is correct will help you determine next steps in getting your ballot:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Finding out if your voter registration is correct will help you determine next steps in getting your ballot:\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "If your ballot was sent to the wrong address"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot was sent to the wrong address\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot was sent to the wrong address\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If it turns out your ballot was missing because your voter registration wasn’t updated, don’t feel bad — people move all the time and forget to update their registrations accordingly.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If it turns out your ballot was missing because your voter registration wasn’t updated, don’t feel bad — people move all the time and forget to update their registrations accordingly.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19. But if you missed that date, you can still \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">re-register with your new address in person through Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”). \u003c/a>You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19. But if you missed that date, you can still \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">re-register with your new address in person through Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”). \u003c/a>You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">The first vote centers open \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening on Halloween, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">The first vote centers open \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening on Halloween, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If it’s more than six days before Election Day, you can just \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">call your county elections office \u003c/a>and ask them to send a new ballot. Scroll to the bottom of this story to find your Bay Area county elections office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If it’s more than six days before Election Day, you can just \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">call your county elections office \u003c/a>and ask them to send a new ballot. Scroll to the bottom of this story to find your Bay Area county elections office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day because it can’t be sure the ballot will reach you in time. So, if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day because it can’t be sure the ballot will reach you in time. So, if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your county elections office is also already open for early voting through Election Day, so you could also go there and vote in person at the same time. \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">More early voting locations will be opening throughout October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Your county elections office is also already open for early voting through Election Day, so you could also go there and vote in person at the same time. \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">More early voting locations will be opening throughout October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote or need to re-register to update details like your address or your legal name, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">Same Day Registration\u003c/a> at an open voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote or need to re-register to update details like your address or your legal name, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">Same Day Registration\u003c/a> at an open voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
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"text": "If your ballot showed up but it has your former name on it"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot showed up but it has your former name on it\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot showed up but it has your former name on it\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’ve legally changed your name since you last voted in California, you’ll need to re-register to vote with your current (new) name.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’ve legally changed your name since you last voted in California, you’ll need to re-register to vote with your current (new) name.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19, and if you miss that date you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">\u003c/a>re-register with your new address in person through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”)\u003c/a>. You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19, and if you miss that date you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">\u003c/a>re-register with your new address in person through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”)\u003c/a>. You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you when many early voting locations open around the Bay Area starting Oct. 24. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">Read more about how to find your closest voting location.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you when many early voting locations open around the Bay Area starting Oct. 24. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">Read more about how to find your closest voting location.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How to contact your county directly about voting",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quickest\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quickest\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Alameda: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.",
"Contra Costa: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.",
"Marin: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to send a form email.",
"Napa: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.",
"San Francisco: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.",
"San Mateo: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.",
"Santa Clara: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.",
"Solano: Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.",
"Sonoma: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n"
]
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "If your election ballot never showed up, here’s how registered voters can get a new one ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.",
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"title": "Midterms 2026: My Ballot Never Showed Up. How Can I Still Vote? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Election Day — your last day to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california\">vote\u003c/a> — is just two weeks away, on Tuesday, Nov. 3. And every registered California voter will receive a mail-in ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But what if your ballot still hasn’t shown up yet?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline for Bay Area counties to start mailing out their ballots was Oct. 5, so if you’re registered to vote, your ballot should have shown up by now.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But don’t worry: You have time — and several options — to fix things and make sure you get to cast your vote by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103658\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/014_Oakland_ItzelDiazandFamily_09092021_qed-06c984cf-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Itzel Diaz drops off her ballot for California’s gubernatorial recall election at a ballot dropbox in Fruitvale on Sept. 9, 2021. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Looking for information about what’s on your ballot instead? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide\u003c/a>, including information about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">California’s governor race. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you’ve made a mistake on your ballot, we also have a guide to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">how to address different kinds of ballot — and signature — goofs.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#quickest\">What’s the quickest way to get a replacement ballot?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First, check if your voter registration is correct — and if your ballot was actually sent out\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This site will show whether you’re correctly registered to vote and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">Read our guide to making sure you’re correctly registered to vote.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? Tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Finding out if your voter registration is correct will help you determine next steps in getting your ballot:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot was sent to the wrong address\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If it turns out your ballot was missing because your voter registration wasn’t updated, don’t feel bad — people move all the time and forget to update their registrations accordingly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19. But if you missed that date, you can still \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">re-register with your new address in person through Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”). \u003c/a>You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026\">The first vote centers open \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening on Halloween, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If it’s more than six days before Election Day, you can just \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">call your county elections office \u003c/a>and ask them to send a new ballot. Scroll to the bottom of this story to find your Bay Area county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day because it can’t be sure the ballot will reach you in time. So, if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Your county elections office is also already open for early voting through Election Day, so you could also go there and vote in person at the same time. \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">More early voting locations will be opening throughout October.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote or need to re-register to update details like your address or your legal name, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">Same Day Registration\u003c/a> at an open voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If your ballot showed up but it has your former name on it\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’ve legally changed your name since you last voted in California, you’ll need to re-register to vote with your current (new) name.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The deadline to update your voter registration online using \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> is Monday, Oct. 19, and if you miss that date you’ll need to\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">\u003c/a>re-register with your new address in person through \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Same Day Registration (also called “conditional registration”)\u003c/a>. You can do this in person right up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can re-register to vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058837/election-2025-am-i-registered-to-vote-check-voter-registration-prop-50\">your county elections office during business hours\u003c/a>, which is now open for early voting. You can also ask for Same Day Registration at an open voting location near you when many early voting locations open around the Bay Area starting Oct. 24. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">Read more about how to find your closest voting location.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When you do this, your county will cancel the ballot that went to your old address and give you a new one to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12099793/am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots\">Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quickest\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "an-ice-surge-in-california-ahead-of-the-midterms-heres-what-we-know",
"title": "An ICE Surge in California Ahead of the Midterms? Here’s What We Know",
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"headTitle": "An ICE Surge in California Ahead of the Midterms? Here’s What We Know | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>With just a few weeks until the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">Nov. 3 midterm elections\u003c/a>, concerns — and rumors — about operations by U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u003c/a> are once again spreading among immigrant communities in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have confirmed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">a wave\u003c/a> of immigration arrests across the Central Valley this month, with more than 100 farmworkers and other people detained since Monday. And while Bay Area groups that monitor ICE activity have not seen a similar surge in the region, elected officials and community groups have expressed concern that the fear of immigration raids could discourage even eligible citizens from voting on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know what Republicans are trying to do — intimidate Latino citizens so they stay at home and don’t exercise their right to vote,” East Bay Rep. Lateefah Simon told KQED in an emailed statement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman-elect for California’s 12th congressional district, speaks with KQED politics reporter Scott Shafer at KQED’s offices in San Francisco on Dec. 2, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whenever there’s been a confirmed, major ICE operation in California, local businesses in majority Latino neighborhoods \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050993/a-day-in-the-life-of-san-joses-rapid-response-network-built-to-resist-ice-fear\">struggle\u003c/a>, schools \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/student-absences-increased-under-threat-deportation-efforts-study-finds\">see more absences\u003c/a>, and immigrant families even postpone \u003ca href=\"https://cssp.org/resource/through-their-eyes-immigration-enforcement-health-wellbeing-children-families/\">going to the doctor\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people hear the rumors that ICE is present, then right away the community lets itself know: ‘We need to stay home’,” said Jacob Sandoval, director of the California chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ice-agents\">What does the law say about law enforcement at polling booths?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement released solely in Spanish on Oct. 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged an increase in reports of federal immigration enforcement in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But he urged state residents to know their rights, adding that “Donald Trump uses fear as a weapon — putting families in danger, weakening trust and terrifying communities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know so far about immigration enforcement in California in the run-up to the midterm election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How reports and rumors are fueling anxieties ahead of the midterms\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An article published earlier this month by the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em> stated that ICE had launched a 45-day operation across California to arrest all immigrants without legal status. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several \u003ca href=\"https://newrepublic.com/post/216405/ice-terrifying-marching-orders-california\">other publications\u003c/a> picked up the story and within days, dozens of posts warning about what ICE was allegedly calling “Operation Safe California” circulated on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The original reporting only quotes two unnamed sources and pointed to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego as the three main targets of ICE’s apparent surge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This move, the story suggested, was part of a strategy by the White House to focus immigration enforcement on California ahead of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Nov. 3 elections\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noting the proximity to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">midterm elections\u003c/a>, the story said: “the decision to focus ICE resources throughout the sanctuary state is the latest effort by the Trump administration to unleash ICE in a blue state following surges to Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Oregon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Department of Homeland Security said that “for operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California,” a spokesperson wrote via email. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071704/ice-super-bowl-immigration-enforcement-santa-clara-san-francisco-bay-area-2026\">similar rumors\u003c/a> about possible ICE activity at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara spread across the Bay Area in the run-up to the event — rumors which DHS similarly refused to confirm or deny following KQED’s queries. (Ultimately, no mass immigration enforcement materialized at the event.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voting fears among even citizens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent investigation \u003ca href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/american-citizens-detained-dhs-civil-rights/\">by ProPublica\u003c/a> found that immigration enforcement agents have detained more than 500 U.S. citizens during the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And LULAC’s Sandoval emphasized that fears about increased ICE activity can also impact mixed-status families — where some relatives are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, while others have no legal status. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Families might not feel comfortable with their loved ones going to the polls, even if they’re U.S. citizens,” Sandoval said. “We don’t want law enforcement or ICE around polling places where people might feel intimidated.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to citizenship and voter eligibility, California is already fighting a separate legal battle with the federal government ahead of the midterms. On Thursday, the Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in order to force state officials to set aside the ballots already mailed to over 20,000 registered voters — individuals that the Trump administration claimed are not actually eligible citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, said in a letter that she will review any evidence from the federal government that proves certain voters are not citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians — or order any county elections official to do so — based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Has there been an immigration enforcement surge in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">reached out\u003c/a> to immigration advocates and rapid response networks across the state to confirm if they were seeing a surge in ICE operations in the wake of the Central Valley arrests and the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em>’s claims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are definitely on the alert and preparing in case of increased ICE activity or large-scale raids in our region,” said Lourdes Martínez, co-director of the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050971/meet-the-community-members-behind-santa-clara-countys-ice-rapid-response-network\">rapid response network\u003c/a>. “We have not been able to verify any specifics, so we are monitoring the situation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She added that lawyers are preparing in case large-scale raids do materialize. Outreach workers are also sharing an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACILEP-Safety-Planning-Checklist-for-Families-2026-9a7f4962.pdf\">“Emergency Planning Checklist for Families”\u003c/a> to help immigrants prepare, said Martínez, in case a family member is arrested.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other groups in the Bay Area that monitor ICE activity have told KQED they haven’t yet seen a major surge, but confirmed that rumors about “Operation California” \u003cem>have \u003c/em>circulated widely in their communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile in the Central Valley, state Sen. Anna Caballero — who represents parts of Fresno and Merced — said she had heard of an estimated 60 arrests last week within the communities she represents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The facility in downtown Fresno is having trouble processing” this amount of detainees, Caballero’s spokesperson Elisa Rivera told KQED in an email. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084687/like-an-angel-meet-the-helpers-working-at-bay-area-immigration-court\">Legal observers\u003c/a> are having little success gaining access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ice-agents\">What does the law say about ICE agents at polling locations?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb884\">approved stronger restrictions\u003c/a> on how law enforcement officers can conduct arrests during an election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 884 prohibits law enforcement — a category which includes federal agents like ICE but also state and local officers — from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on Election Day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The law does specify an exception: Arrests can still be made within the 200 feet “buffer zone” for crimes “related to disrupting the operation of the polling place, a crime against a person, or a crime against property.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know that it can be a form of intimidation if folks are going to vote in person and see law enforcement there,” said Angélica Salceda, with the ACLU of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We all have a right to be able to cast our ballot free from coercion or intimidation,” she added. “We have the right for that vote to be secret. We don’t have to answer any questions about who we voted for if we don’t want to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If county officials determine that voting was disrupted at a polling place because law enforcement violated this law, they can extend the time voters have to turn in their ballots beyond the usual poll closing time of 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, SB 884 specifies that the buffer zone only applies on Election Day — Nov. 3 of this year. There is no mention of these restrictions being effective on the weeks leading up to Election Day, when many voters go to their county election office or early voting center to turn in their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Salceda points out that there are also other ways to vote, including mailing in your ballot by Nov. 3 or placing it in an official county drop box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has tried to change the rules around voting by mail, but these efforts were \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/u-s-supreme-court-blocks-postal-service-from-restricting-mail-ballots\">blocked earlier\u003c/a> this year by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Armed law enforcement aren’t the only ones capable of voter intimidation, added Salceda. “We’re talking about situations where someone would want to drop their ballot at the dropbox and someone is there harassing or intimidating people,” she said. “Those are unlawful actions that should be reported.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s secretary of state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/contact\">a hotline available\u003c/a> in multiple languages where residents can report incidents that may violate electoral law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>English: 800-345-VOTE (8683) \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Spanish: 800-232-VOTA (8682)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Chinese: 800-339-2857 \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Hindi: 888-345-2692\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Tagalog: 800-339-2957\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/tychehendricks\">\u003cem>Tyche Hendricks \u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/lfitzgerald\">\u003cem>Laura Fitzgerald\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With just a few weeks until the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">Nov. 3 midterm elections\u003c/a>, concerns — and rumors — about operations by U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u003c/a> are once again spreading among immigrant communities in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With just a few weeks until the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">Nov. 3 midterm elections\u003c/a>, concerns — and rumors — about operations by U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u003c/a> are once again spreading among immigrant communities in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Advocates have confirmed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">a wave\u003c/a> of immigration arrests across the Central Valley this month, with more than 100 farmworkers and other people detained since Monday. And while Bay Area groups that monitor ICE activity have not seen a similar surge in the region, elected officials and community groups have expressed concern that the fear of immigration raids could discourage even eligible citizens from voting on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Advocates have confirmed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">a wave\u003c/a> of immigration arrests across the Central Valley this month, with more than 100 farmworkers and other people detained since Monday. And while Bay Area groups that monitor ICE activity have not seen a similar surge in the region, elected officials and community groups have expressed concern that the fear of immigration raids could discourage even eligible citizens from voting on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We know what Republicans are trying to do — intimidate Latino citizens so they stay at home and don’t exercise their right to vote,” East Bay Rep. Lateefah Simon told KQED in an emailed statement.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We know what Republicans are trying to do — intimidate Latino citizens so they stay at home and don’t exercise their right to vote,” East Bay Rep. Lateefah Simon told KQED in an emailed statement.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman-elect for California’s 12th congressional district, speaks with KQED politics reporter Scott Shafer at KQED’s offices in San Francisco on Dec. 2, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068706\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman-elect for California’s 12th congressional district, speaks with KQED politics reporter Scott Shafer at KQED’s offices in San Francisco on Dec. 2, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Whenever there’s been a confirmed, major ICE operation in California, local businesses in majority Latino neighborhoods \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050993/a-day-in-the-life-of-san-joses-rapid-response-network-built-to-resist-ice-fear\">struggle\u003c/a>, schools \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/student-absences-increased-under-threat-deportation-efforts-study-finds\">see more absences\u003c/a>, and immigrant families even postpone \u003ca href=\"https://cssp.org/resource/through-their-eyes-immigration-enforcement-health-wellbeing-children-families/\">going to the doctor\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Whenever there’s been a confirmed, major ICE operation in California, local businesses in majority Latino neighborhoods \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050993/a-day-in-the-life-of-san-joses-rapid-response-network-built-to-resist-ice-fear\">struggle\u003c/a>, schools \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/student-absences-increased-under-threat-deportation-efforts-study-finds\">see more absences\u003c/a>, and immigrant families even postpone \u003ca href=\"https://cssp.org/resource/through-their-eyes-immigration-enforcement-health-wellbeing-children-families/\">going to the doctor\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If people hear the rumors that ICE is present, then right away the community lets itself know: ‘We need to stay home’,” said Jacob Sandoval, director of the California chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If people hear the rumors that ICE is present, then right away the community lets itself know: ‘We need to stay home’,” said Jacob Sandoval, director of the California chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ice-agents\">What does the law say about law enforcement at polling booths?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ice-agents\">What does the law say about law enforcement at polling booths?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement released solely in Spanish on Oct. 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged an increase in reports of federal immigration enforcement in California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement released solely in Spanish on Oct. 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged an increase in reports of federal immigration enforcement in California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But he urged state residents to know their rights, adding that “Donald Trump uses fear as a weapon — putting families in danger, weakening trust and terrifying communities.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But he urged state residents to know their rights, adding that “Donald Trump uses fear as a weapon — putting families in danger, weakening trust and terrifying communities.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know so far about immigration enforcement in California in the run-up to the midterm election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know so far about immigration enforcement in California in the run-up to the midterm election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "How reports and rumors are fueling anxieties ahead of the midterms",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How reports and rumors are fueling anxieties ahead of the midterms\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How reports and rumors are fueling anxieties ahead of the midterms\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An article published earlier this month by the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em> stated that ICE had launched a 45-day operation across California to arrest all immigrants without legal status. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An article published earlier this month by the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em> stated that ICE had launched a 45-day operation across California to arrest all immigrants without legal status. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Several \u003ca href=\"https://newrepublic.com/post/216405/ice-terrifying-marching-orders-california\">other publications\u003c/a> picked up the story and within days, dozens of posts warning about what ICE was allegedly calling “Operation Safe California” circulated on social media.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Several \u003ca href=\"https://newrepublic.com/post/216405/ice-terrifying-marching-orders-california\">other publications\u003c/a> picked up the story and within days, dozens of posts warning about what ICE was allegedly calling “Operation Safe California” circulated on social media.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The original reporting only quotes two unnamed sources and pointed to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego as the three main targets of ICE’s apparent surge. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The original reporting only quotes two unnamed sources and pointed to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego as the three main targets of ICE’s apparent surge. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This move, the story suggested, was part of a strategy by the White House to focus immigration enforcement on California ahead of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Nov. 3 elections\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This move, the story suggested, was part of a strategy by the White House to focus immigration enforcement on California ahead of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Nov. 3 elections\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Noting the proximity to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">midterm elections\u003c/a>, the story said: “the decision to focus ICE resources throughout the sanctuary state is the latest effort by the Trump administration to unleash ICE in a blue state following surges to Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Oregon.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Noting the proximity to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">midterm elections\u003c/a>, the story said: “the decision to focus ICE resources throughout the sanctuary state is the latest effort by the Trump administration to unleash ICE in a blue state following surges to Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Oregon.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Department of Homeland Security said that “for operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Department of Homeland Security said that “for operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California,” a spokesperson wrote via email. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California,” a spokesperson wrote via email. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Back in January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071704/ice-super-bowl-immigration-enforcement-santa-clara-san-francisco-bay-area-2026\">similar rumors\u003c/a> about possible ICE activity at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara spread across the Bay Area in the run-up to the event — rumors which DHS similarly refused to confirm or deny following KQED’s queries. (Ultimately, no mass immigration enforcement materialized at the event.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Back in January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071704/ice-super-bowl-immigration-enforcement-santa-clara-san-francisco-bay-area-2026\">similar rumors\u003c/a> about possible ICE activity at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara spread across the Bay Area in the run-up to the event — rumors which DHS similarly refused to confirm or deny following KQED’s queries. (Ultimately, no mass immigration enforcement materialized at the event.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Voting fears among even citizens",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voting fears among even citizens\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voting fears among even citizens\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A recent investigation \u003ca href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/american-citizens-detained-dhs-civil-rights/\">by ProPublica\u003c/a> found that immigration enforcement agents have detained more than 500 U.S. citizens during the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A recent investigation \u003ca href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/american-citizens-detained-dhs-civil-rights/\">by ProPublica\u003c/a> found that immigration enforcement agents have detained more than 500 U.S. citizens during the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And LULAC’s Sandoval emphasized that fears about increased ICE activity can also impact mixed-status families — where some relatives are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, while others have no legal status. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And LULAC’s Sandoval emphasized that fears about increased ICE activity can also impact mixed-status families — where some relatives are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, while others have no legal status. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Families might not feel comfortable with their loved ones going to the polls, even if they’re U.S. citizens,” Sandoval said. “We don’t want law enforcement or ICE around polling places where people might feel intimidated.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Families might not feel comfortable with their loved ones going to the polls, even if they’re U.S. citizens,” Sandoval said. “We don’t want law enforcement or ICE around polling places where people might feel intimidated.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When it comes to citizenship and voter eligibility, California is already fighting a separate legal battle with the federal government ahead of the midterms. On Thursday, the Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in order to force state officials to set aside the ballots already mailed to over 20,000 registered voters — individuals that the Trump administration claimed are not actually eligible citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When it comes to citizenship and voter eligibility, California is already fighting a separate legal battle with the federal government ahead of the midterms. On Thursday, the Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in order to force state officials to set aside the ballots already mailed to over 20,000 registered voters — individuals that the Trump administration claimed are not actually eligible citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, said in a letter that she will review any evidence from the federal government that proves certain voters are not citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, said in a letter that she will review any evidence from the federal government that proves certain voters are not citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians — or order any county elections official to do so — based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians — or order any county elections official to do so — based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Has there been an immigration enforcement surge in the Bay Area?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Has there been an immigration enforcement surge in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">reached out\u003c/a> to immigration advocates and rapid response networks across the state to confirm if they were seeing a surge in ICE operations in the wake of the Central Valley arrests and the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em>’s claims.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">reached out\u003c/a> to immigration advocates and rapid response networks across the state to confirm if they were seeing a surge in ICE operations in the wake of the Central Valley arrests and the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em>’s claims.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are definitely on the alert and preparing in case of increased ICE activity or large-scale raids in our region,” said Lourdes Martínez, co-director of the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050971/meet-the-community-members-behind-santa-clara-countys-ice-rapid-response-network\">rapid response network\u003c/a>. “We have not been able to verify any specifics, so we are monitoring the situation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are definitely on the alert and preparing in case of increased ICE activity or large-scale raids in our region,” said Lourdes Martínez, co-director of the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050971/meet-the-community-members-behind-santa-clara-countys-ice-rapid-response-network\">rapid response network\u003c/a>. “We have not been able to verify any specifics, so we are monitoring the situation.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She added that lawyers are preparing in case large-scale raids do materialize. Outreach workers are also sharing an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACILEP-Safety-Planning-Checklist-for-Families-2026-9a7f4962.pdf\">“Emergency Planning Checklist for Families”\u003c/a> to help immigrants prepare, said Martínez, in case a family member is arrested.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She added that lawyers are preparing in case large-scale raids do materialize. Outreach workers are also sharing an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACILEP-Safety-Planning-Checklist-for-Families-2026-9a7f4962.pdf\">“Emergency Planning Checklist for Families”\u003c/a> to help immigrants prepare, said Martínez, in case a family member is arrested.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098459\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other groups in the Bay Area that monitor ICE activity have told KQED they haven’t yet seen a major surge, but confirmed that rumors about “Operation California” \u003cem>have \u003c/em>circulated widely in their communities.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other groups in the Bay Area that monitor ICE activity have told KQED they haven’t yet seen a major surge, but confirmed that rumors about “Operation California” \u003cem>have \u003c/em>circulated widely in their communities.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile in the Central Valley, state Sen. Anna Caballero — who represents parts of Fresno and Merced — said she had heard of an estimated 60 arrests last week within the communities she represents.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile in the Central Valley, state Sen. Anna Caballero — who represents parts of Fresno and Merced — said she had heard of an estimated 60 arrests last week within the communities she represents.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The facility in downtown Fresno is having trouble processing” this amount of detainees, Caballero’s spokesperson Elisa Rivera told KQED in an email. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084687/like-an-angel-meet-the-helpers-working-at-bay-area-immigration-court\">Legal observers\u003c/a> are having little success gaining access.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The facility in downtown Fresno is having trouble processing” this amount of detainees, Caballero’s spokesperson Elisa Rivera told KQED in an email. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084687/like-an-angel-meet-the-helpers-working-at-bay-area-immigration-court\">Legal observers\u003c/a> are having little success gaining access.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What does the law say about ICE agents at polling locations?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ice-agents\">What does the law say about ICE agents at polling locations?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb884\">approved stronger restrictions\u003c/a> on how law enforcement officers can conduct arrests during an election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb884\">approved stronger restrictions\u003c/a> on how law enforcement officers can conduct arrests during an election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>SB 884 prohibits law enforcement — a category which includes federal agents like ICE but also state and local officers — from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on Election Day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>SB 884 prohibits law enforcement — a category which includes federal agents like ICE but also state and local officers — from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on Election Day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The law does specify an exception: Arrests can still be made within the 200 feet “buffer zone” for crimes “related to disrupting the operation of the polling place, a crime against a person, or a crime against property.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The law does specify an exception: Arrests can still be made within the 200 feet “buffer zone” for crimes “related to disrupting the operation of the polling place, a crime against a person, or a crime against property.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Nov. 4, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Nov. 4, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We know that it can be a form of intimidation if folks are going to vote in person and see law enforcement there,” said Angélica Salceda, with the ACLU of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We know that it can be a form of intimidation if folks are going to vote in person and see law enforcement there,” said Angélica Salceda, with the ACLU of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We all have a right to be able to cast our ballot free from coercion or intimidation,” she added. “We have the right for that vote to be secret. We don’t have to answer any questions about who we voted for if we don’t want to.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We all have a right to be able to cast our ballot free from coercion or intimidation,” she added. “We have the right for that vote to be secret. We don’t have to answer any questions about who we voted for if we don’t want to.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If county officials determine that voting was disrupted at a polling place because law enforcement violated this law, they can extend the time voters have to turn in their ballots beyond the usual poll closing time of 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If county officials determine that voting was disrupted at a polling place because law enforcement violated this law, they can extend the time voters have to turn in their ballots beyond the usual poll closing time of 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n"
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"label": "2026 California Voter Guide",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>However, SB 884 specifies that the buffer zone only applies on Election Day — Nov. 3 of this year. There is no mention of these restrictions being effective on the weeks leading up to Election Day, when many voters go to their county election office or early voting center to turn in their ballots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>However, SB 884 specifies that the buffer zone only applies on Election Day — Nov. 3 of this year. There is no mention of these restrictions being effective on the weeks leading up to Election Day, when many voters go to their county election office or early voting center to turn in their ballots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Salceda points out that there are also other ways to vote, including mailing in your ballot by Nov. 3 or placing it in an official county drop box. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Salceda points out that there are also other ways to vote, including mailing in your ballot by Nov. 3 or placing it in an official county drop box. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has tried to change the rules around voting by mail, but these efforts were \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/u-s-supreme-court-blocks-postal-service-from-restricting-mail-ballots\">blocked earlier\u003c/a> this year by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has tried to change the rules around voting by mail, but these efforts were \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/u-s-supreme-court-blocks-postal-service-from-restricting-mail-ballots\">blocked earlier\u003c/a> this year by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Armed law enforcement aren’t the only ones capable of voter intimidation, added Salceda. “We’re talking about situations where someone would want to drop their ballot at the dropbox and someone is there harassing or intimidating people,” she said. “Those are unlawful actions that should be reported.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Armed law enforcement aren’t the only ones capable of voter intimidation, added Salceda. “We’re talking about situations where someone would want to drop their ballot at the dropbox and someone is there harassing or intimidating people,” she said. “Those are unlawful actions that should be reported.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California’s secretary of state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/contact\">a hotline available\u003c/a> in multiple languages where residents can report incidents that may violate electoral law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California’s secretary of state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/contact\">a hotline available\u003c/a> in multiple languages where residents can report incidents that may violate electoral law.\u003c/p>\n"
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"English: 800-345-VOTE (8683) ",
"Spanish: 800-232-VOTA (8682)",
"Chinese: 800-339-2857 ",
"Hindi: 888-345-2692",
"Tagalog: 800-339-2957"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/tychehendricks\">\u003cem>Tyche Hendricks \u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/lfitzgerald\">\u003cem>Laura Fitzgerald\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "With midterm elections less than three weeks away and reports of an immigration enforcement surge in California, immigrant communities are bracing for a potentially heightened ICE presence — and are concerned about their safety at the polls.",
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"title": "An ICE Surge in California Ahead of the Midterms? Here’s What We Know | KQED",
"description": "With midterm elections less than three weeks away and reports of an immigration enforcement surge in California, immigrant communities are bracing for a potentially heightened ICE presence — and are concerned about their safety at the polls.",
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"headline": "An ICE Surge in California Ahead of the Midterms? Here’s What We Know",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>With just a few weeks until the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">Nov. 3 midterm elections\u003c/a>, concerns — and rumors — about operations by U.S. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u003c/a> are once again spreading among immigrant communities in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Advocates have confirmed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">a wave\u003c/a> of immigration arrests across the Central Valley this month, with more than 100 farmworkers and other people detained since Monday. And while Bay Area groups that monitor ICE activity have not seen a similar surge in the region, elected officials and community groups have expressed concern that the fear of immigration raids could discourage even eligible citizens from voting on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know what Republicans are trying to do — intimidate Latino citizens so they stay at home and don’t exercise their right to vote,” East Bay Rep. Lateefah Simon told KQED in an emailed statement.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12068706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/01/241202-NewBayAreaCongressmembers-05-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lateefah Simon, Congresswoman-elect for California’s 12th congressional district, speaks with KQED politics reporter Scott Shafer at KQED’s offices in San Francisco on Dec. 2, 2024. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Whenever there’s been a confirmed, major ICE operation in California, local businesses in majority Latino neighborhoods \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050993/a-day-in-the-life-of-san-joses-rapid-response-network-built-to-resist-ice-fear\">struggle\u003c/a>, schools \u003ca href=\"https://siepr.stanford.edu/news/student-absences-increased-under-threat-deportation-efforts-study-finds\">see more absences\u003c/a>, and immigrant families even postpone \u003ca href=\"https://cssp.org/resource/through-their-eyes-immigration-enforcement-health-wellbeing-children-families/\">going to the doctor\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If people hear the rumors that ICE is present, then right away the community lets itself know: ‘We need to stay home’,” said Jacob Sandoval, director of the California chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#ice-agents\">What does the law say about law enforcement at polling booths?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement released solely in Spanish on Oct. 9, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged an increase in reports of federal immigration enforcement in California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But he urged state residents to know their rights, adding that “Donald Trump uses fear as a weapon — putting families in danger, weakening trust and terrifying communities.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what we know so far about immigration enforcement in California in the run-up to the midterm election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How reports and rumors are fueling anxieties ahead of the midterms\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An article published earlier this month by the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em> stated that ICE had launched a 45-day operation across California to arrest all immigrants without legal status. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Several \u003ca href=\"https://newrepublic.com/post/216405/ice-terrifying-marching-orders-california\">other publications\u003c/a> picked up the story and within days, dozens of posts warning about what ICE was allegedly calling “Operation Safe California” circulated on social media.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The original reporting only quotes two unnamed sources and pointed to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego as the three main targets of ICE’s apparent surge. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This move, the story suggested, was part of a strategy by the White House to focus immigration enforcement on California ahead of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">Nov. 3 elections\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Noting the proximity to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">midterm elections\u003c/a>, the story said: “the decision to focus ICE resources throughout the sanctuary state is the latest effort by the Trump administration to unleash ICE in a blue state following surges to Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Oregon.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement to KQED, the Department of Homeland Security said that “for operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California,” a spokesperson wrote via email. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Back in January, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12071704/ice-super-bowl-immigration-enforcement-santa-clara-san-francisco-bay-area-2026\">similar rumors\u003c/a> about possible ICE activity at Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara spread across the Bay Area in the run-up to the event — rumors which DHS similarly refused to confirm or deny following KQED’s queries. (Ultimately, no mass immigration enforcement materialized at the event.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Voting fears among even citizens\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A recent investigation \u003ca href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/american-citizens-detained-dhs-civil-rights/\">by ProPublica\u003c/a> found that immigration enforcement agents have detained more than 500 U.S. citizens during the second Trump administration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And LULAC’s Sandoval emphasized that fears about increased ICE activity can also impact mixed-status families — where some relatives are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, while others have no legal status. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Families might not feel comfortable with their loved ones going to the polls, even if they’re U.S. citizens,” Sandoval said. “We don’t want law enforcement or ICE around polling places where people might feel intimidated.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When it comes to citizenship and voter eligibility, California is already fighting a separate legal battle with the federal government ahead of the midterms. On Thursday, the Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit\u003c/a> in order to force state officials to set aside the ballots already mailed to over 20,000 registered voters — individuals that the Trump administration claimed are not actually eligible citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, said in a letter that she will review any evidence from the federal government that proves certain voters are not citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians — or order any county elections official to do so — based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens,” she added.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Has there been an immigration enforcement surge in the Bay Area?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>KQED \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103799/bay-area-officials-immigration-advocates-brace-for-ice-surge-after-central-valley-arrests\">reached out\u003c/a> to immigration advocates and rapid response networks across the state to confirm if they were seeing a surge in ICE operations in the wake of the Central Valley arrests and the \u003cem>Washington Examiner\u003c/em>’s claims.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are definitely on the alert and preparing in case of increased ICE activity or large-scale raids in our region,” said Lourdes Martínez, co-director of the Alameda County Immigration Legal and Education Partnership, the county’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12050971/meet-the-community-members-behind-santa-clara-countys-ice-rapid-response-network\">rapid response network\u003c/a>. “We have not been able to verify any specifics, so we are monitoring the situation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She added that lawyers are preparing in case large-scale raids do materialize. Outreach workers are also sharing an \u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/ACILEP-Safety-Planning-Checklist-for-Families-2026-9a7f4962.pdf\">“Emergency Planning Checklist for Families”\u003c/a> to help immigrants prepare, said Martínez, in case a family member is arrested.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12098459\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/ICE-Arrests-CA-Getty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk a detainee out of the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura, California, on July 27, 2026. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other groups in the Bay Area that monitor ICE activity have told KQED they haven’t yet seen a major surge, but confirmed that rumors about “Operation California” \u003cem>have \u003c/em>circulated widely in their communities.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile in the Central Valley, state Sen. Anna Caballero — who represents parts of Fresno and Merced — said she had heard of an estimated 60 arrests last week within the communities she represents.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“The facility in downtown Fresno is having trouble processing” this amount of detainees, Caballero’s spokesperson Elisa Rivera told KQED in an email. “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084687/like-an-angel-meet-the-helpers-working-at-bay-area-immigration-court\">Legal observers\u003c/a> are having little success gaining access.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ice-agents\">What does the law say about ICE agents at polling locations?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Earlier this year, California lawmakers \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb884\">approved stronger restrictions\u003c/a> on how law enforcement officers can conduct arrests during an election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>SB 884 prohibits law enforcement — a category which includes federal agents like ICE but also state and local officers — from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on Election Day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The law does specify an exception: Arrests can still be made within the 200 feet “buffer zone” for crimes “related to disrupting the operation of the polling place, a crime against a person, or a crime against property.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know that it can be a form of intimidation if folks are going to vote in person and see law enforcement there,” said Angélica Salceda, with the ACLU of Northern California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We all have a right to be able to cast our ballot free from coercion or intimidation,” she added. “We have the right for that vote to be secret. We don’t have to answer any questions about who we voted for if we don’t want to.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If county officials determine that voting was disrupted at a polling place because law enforcement violated this law, they can extend the time voters have to turn in their ballots beyond the usual poll closing time of 8 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>However, SB 884 specifies that the buffer zone only applies on Election Day — Nov. 3 of this year. There is no mention of these restrictions being effective on the weeks leading up to Election Day, when many voters go to their county election office or early voting center to turn in their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Salceda points out that there are also other ways to vote, including mailing in your ballot by Nov. 3 or placing it in an official county drop box. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has tried to change the rules around voting by mail, but these efforts were \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/u-s-supreme-court-blocks-postal-service-from-restricting-mail-ballots\">blocked earlier\u003c/a> this year by the Supreme Court.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Armed law enforcement aren’t the only ones capable of voter intimidation, added Salceda. “We’re talking about situations where someone would want to drop their ballot at the dropbox and someone is there harassing or intimidating people,” she said. “Those are unlawful actions that should be reported.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California’s secretary of state has \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/contact\">a hotline available\u003c/a> in multiple languages where residents can report incidents that may violate electoral law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>English: 800-345-VOTE (8683) \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Spanish: 800-232-VOTA (8682)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Chinese: 800-339-2857 \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Hindi: 888-345-2692\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Tagalog: 800-339-2957\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/tychehendricks\">\u003cem>Tyche Hendricks \u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/lfitzgerald\">\u003cem>Laura Fitzgerald\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "silicon-valley-spends-millions-on-north-bay-assembly-race",
"title": "Silicon Valley Spends Millions on North Bay Assembly Race",
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"headTitle": "Silicon Valley Spends Millions on North Bay Assembly Race | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, October 16, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">One district where that money looms large\u003c/a> is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit against California\u003c/a> on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20,000 voters. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">has filed his 100th lawsuit\u003c/a> against the Trump administration. It’s challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">In this North Bay Assembly race, big tech and labor battle it out\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff. They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats. “We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. “What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. “We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aims to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">Trump administration sues California after demands to prove voters’ citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to state and local officials, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election. The letters were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">California files its 100th lawsuit against Trump\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Attorney General \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/rob-bonta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rob Bonta\u003c/a> has filed the state’s 100th lawsuit against the federal government since \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">President Trump\u003c/a> took office for a second time in 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/complaintcaliforniavice.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit filed Thursday\u003c/a> alleges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement overstepped its Constitutional limits by taking people into custody at state courthouses, a practice \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunorcal.org/cases/pablo-sequen-v-albarran/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forbidden by a U.S. District Court judge\u003c/a> that the lawsuit alleges ICE nevertheless continues to employ. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For instance, the California Justice Department found that ICE detained 34 people at state courthouses in June 2026. In July 2026, the month after the judicial order to stop making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/ice-courthouse-arrests/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrests at courthouses\u003c/a>, ICE detained 28 people at courthouses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ICE’s directive on courthouse enforcement and the resulting enforcement activities have had a profound chilling effect that has hindered California’s ability to enforce the law and protect public safety,” the state Justice Department said in a news release.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking people up at a courthouse can have a chilling effect on witnesses, victims and even suspects who are afraid to show up for court, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-chief-justice-issues-statement-immigration-enforcement-california-courthouses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said last year.\u003c/a> “Making courthouses a focus of immigration enforcement hinders, rather than helps, the administration of justice by deterring witnesses and victims from coming forward and discouraging individuals from asserting their rights,” Guerrero said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, October 16, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. One district where that money looms large is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. ",
"The Trump administration filed a lawsuit against California on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20,000 voters. ",
"California Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed his 100th lawsuit against the Trump administration. It’s challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">One district where that money looms large\u003c/a> is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. \u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">One district where that money looms large\u003c/a> is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. \u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit against California\u003c/a> on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20,000 voters. \u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit against California\u003c/a> on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20,000 voters. \u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">has filed his 100th lawsuit\u003c/a> against the Trump administration. It’s challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">has filed his 100th lawsuit\u003c/a> against the Trump administration. It’s challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses.\u003c/li>\n"
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"text": "In this North Bay Assembly race, big tech and labor battle it out",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">In this North Bay Assembly race, big tech and labor battle it out\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">In this North Bay Assembly race, big tech and labor battle it out\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff. They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff. They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats. “We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats. “We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. “What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. “What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. “We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aims to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. “We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aims to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Trump administration sues California after demands to prove voters’ citizenship",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">Trump administration sues California after demands to prove voters’ citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">Trump administration sues California after demands to prove voters’ citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to state and local officials, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election. The letters were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to state and local officials, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election. The letters were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "California files its 100th lawsuit against Trump",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">California files its 100th lawsuit against Trump\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">California files its 100th lawsuit against Trump\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Attorney General \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/rob-bonta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rob Bonta\u003c/a> has filed the state’s 100th lawsuit against the federal government since \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">President Trump\u003c/a> took office for a second time in 2025. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California Attorney General \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/rob-bonta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rob Bonta\u003c/a> has filed the state’s 100th lawsuit against the federal government since \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">President Trump\u003c/a> took office for a second time in 2025. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/complaintcaliforniavice.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit filed Thursday\u003c/a> alleges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement overstepped its Constitutional limits by taking people into custody at state courthouses, a practice \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunorcal.org/cases/pablo-sequen-v-albarran/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forbidden by a U.S. District Court judge\u003c/a> that the lawsuit alleges ICE nevertheless continues to employ. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/complaintcaliforniavice.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit filed Thursday\u003c/a> alleges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement overstepped its Constitutional limits by taking people into custody at state courthouses, a practice \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunorcal.org/cases/pablo-sequen-v-albarran/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forbidden by a U.S. District Court judge\u003c/a> that the lawsuit alleges ICE nevertheless continues to employ. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For instance, the California Justice Department found that ICE detained 34 people at state courthouses in June 2026. In July 2026, the month after the judicial order to stop making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/ice-courthouse-arrests/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrests at courthouses\u003c/a>, ICE detained 28 people at courthouses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For instance, the California Justice Department found that ICE detained 34 people at state courthouses in June 2026. In July 2026, the month after the judicial order to stop making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/ice-courthouse-arrests/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrests at courthouses\u003c/a>, ICE detained 28 people at courthouses. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ICE’s directive on courthouse enforcement and the resulting enforcement activities have had a profound chilling effect that has hindered California’s ability to enforce the law and protect public safety,” the state Justice Department said in a news release.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Picking people up at a courthouse can have a chilling effect on witnesses, victims and even suspects who are afraid to show up for court, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-chief-justice-issues-statement-immigration-enforcement-california-courthouses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said last year.\u003c/a> “Making courthouses a focus of immigration enforcement hinders, rather than helps, the administration of justice by deterring witnesses and victims from coming forward and discouraging individuals from asserting their rights,” Guerrero said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Picking people up at a courthouse can have a chilling effect on witnesses, victims and even suspects who are afraid to show up for court, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-chief-justice-issues-statement-immigration-enforcement-california-courthouses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said last year.\u003c/a> “Making courthouses a focus of immigration enforcement hinders, rather than helps, the administration of justice by deterring witnesses and victims from coming forward and discouraging individuals from asserting their rights,” Guerrero said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Two Democrats are facing off in the District 12 race.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, October 16, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>This year, Silicon Valley has poured money into California’s legislative races at levels far above past elections. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">One district where that money looms large\u003c/a> is Assembly District 12 in Marin and Sonoma counties, where two Democrats are facing off. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">filed a lawsuit against California\u003c/a> on Thursday, aiming to block the state from counting the ballots of around 20,000 voters. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">has filed his 100th lawsuit\u003c/a> against the Trump administration. It’s challenging the Immigration and Customs Enforcement practice of making immigration arrests inside state courthouses.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104544/in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out\">In this North Bay Assembly race, big tech and labor battle it out\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff. They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats. “We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. “What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. “We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aims to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104425/california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship\">Trump administration sues California after demands to prove voters’ citizenship\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to state and local officials, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election. The letters were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/10/california-100-trump-lawsuits/\">California files its 100th lawsuit against Trump\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>California Attorney General \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/rob-bonta/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rob Bonta\u003c/a> has filed the state’s 100th lawsuit against the federal government since \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/tag/donald-trump/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">President Trump\u003c/a> took office for a second time in 2025. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/complaintcaliforniavice.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lawsuit filed Thursday\u003c/a> alleges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement overstepped its Constitutional limits by taking people into custody at state courthouses, a practice \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclunorcal.org/cases/pablo-sequen-v-albarran/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">forbidden by a U.S. District Court judge\u003c/a> that the lawsuit alleges ICE nevertheless continues to employ. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For instance, the California Justice Department found that ICE detained 34 people at state courthouses in June 2026. In July 2026, the month after the judicial order to stop making \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/justice/2025/09/ice-courthouse-arrests/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">arrests at courthouses\u003c/a>, ICE detained 28 people at courthouses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ICE’s directive on courthouse enforcement and the resulting enforcement activities have had a profound chilling effect that has hindered California’s ability to enforce the law and protect public safety,” the state Justice Department said in a news release.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking people up at a courthouse can have a chilling effect on witnesses, victims and even suspects who are afraid to show up for court, California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-chief-justice-issues-statement-immigration-enforcement-california-courthouses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said last year.\u003c/a> “Making courthouses a focus of immigration enforcement hinders, rather than helps, the administration of justice by deterring witnesses and victims from coming forward and discouraging individuals from asserting their rights,” Guerrero said. \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "mail-in-ballots-stolen-from-san-mateo-post-office-election-officials-say",
"title": "Mail-In Ballots Stolen From San Mateo Post Office, Election Officials Say",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>An unknown number of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-mateo-county\">San Mateo County\u003c/a> vote-by-mail ballots were reportedly stolen from a Daly City post office, county election officials said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county’s Registration and Elections Division said Thursday that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the incident of mail theft — which was reported to county elections officials on Wednesday — that included the ballots. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s unclear how many ballots were affected by the theft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elections officials didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry \u003ca href=\"https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/theft-from-a-daly-city-post-office-reportedly-included-mail-in-ballots/article_4e644301-2933-4f64-9d57-2588206978de.html\">told the San Mateo Daily Journal\u003c/a> that there didn’t appear to be a reason to assume it was an attempt to intentionally tamper with voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mail-voting-in-the-us-data-points-to-very-low-fraud-and-significant-benefits-to-voters/\">2025 Brookings study\u003c/a> found that cases of mail voting fraud are “very rare.” Four cases out of 10 million mail-in votes are fraudulent, that research shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June, a little over two dozen ballots in Santa Clara County were found among recovered stolen mail. But federal investigators said it did not seem the perpetrators targeted election-related mail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters are concerned that their ballots have been impacted, the Elections Division said they can request a replacement ballot \u003ca href=\"http://smcacre.gov/elections/request-replacement-ballot\">online\u003c/a> or at a county vote center. Online requests for a replacement must be submitted by Oct. 27. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Only one ballot that each voter submits will be counted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is associated with an individual voter, and ballot processing safeguards prevent duplicate ballots from being counted for the same voter,” the division said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters can track the status of their vote-by-mail ballots through the secretary of state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot\">“Where’s My Ballot” service\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>USPIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elections officials didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry \u003ca href=\"https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/theft-from-a-daly-city-post-office-reportedly-included-mail-in-ballots/article_4e644301-2933-4f64-9d57-2588206978de.html\">told the San Mateo Daily Journal\u003c/a> that there didn’t appear to be a reason to assume it was an attempt to intentionally tamper with voting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mail-voting-in-the-us-data-points-to-very-low-fraud-and-significant-benefits-to-voters/\">2025 Brookings study\u003c/a> found that cases of mail voting fraud are “very rare.” Four cases out of 10 million mail-in votes are fraudulent, that research shows. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mail-voting-in-the-us-data-points-to-very-low-fraud-and-significant-benefits-to-voters/\">2025 Brookings study\u003c/a> found that cases of mail voting fraud are “very rare.” Four cases out of 10 million mail-in votes are fraudulent, that research shows. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In June, a little over two dozen ballots in Santa Clara County were found among recovered stolen mail. But federal investigators said it did not seem the perpetrators targeted election-related mail. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If voters are concerned that their ballots have been impacted, the Elections Division said they can request a replacement ballot \u003ca href=\"http://smcacre.gov/elections/request-replacement-ballot\">online\u003c/a> or at a county vote center. Online requests for a replacement must be submitted by Oct. 27. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If voters are concerned that their ballots have been impacted, the Elections Division said they can request a replacement ballot \u003ca href=\"http://smcacre.gov/elections/request-replacement-ballot\">online\u003c/a> or at a county vote center. Online requests for a replacement must be submitted by Oct. 27. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Only one ballot that each voter submits will be counted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is associated with an individual voter, and ballot processing safeguards prevent duplicate ballots from being counted for the same voter,” the division said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is associated with an individual voter, and ballot processing safeguards prevent duplicate ballots from being counted for the same voter,” the division said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Voters can track the status of their vote-by-mail ballots through the secretary of state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot\">“Where’s My Ballot” service\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>USPIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Election officials said the incident is being investigated by federal postal inspectors. ",
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"title": "Mail-In Ballots Stolen From San Mateo Post Office, Election Officials Say | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>An unknown number of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/san-mateo-county\">San Mateo County\u003c/a> vote-by-mail ballots were reportedly stolen from a Daly City post office, county election officials said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The county’s Registration and Elections Division said Thursday that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the incident of mail theft — which was reported to county elections officials on Wednesday — that included the ballots. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s unclear how many ballots were affected by the theft. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elections officials didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry \u003ca href=\"https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/theft-from-a-daly-city-post-office-reportedly-included-mail-in-ballots/article_4e644301-2933-4f64-9d57-2588206978de.html\">told the San Mateo Daily Journal\u003c/a> that there didn’t appear to be a reason to assume it was an attempt to intentionally tamper with voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mail-voting-in-the-us-data-points-to-very-low-fraud-and-significant-benefits-to-voters/\">2025 Brookings study\u003c/a> found that cases of mail voting fraud are “very rare.” Four cases out of 10 million mail-in votes are fraudulent, that research shows. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In June, a little over two dozen ballots in Santa Clara County were found among recovered stolen mail. But federal investigators said it did not seem the perpetrators targeted election-related mail. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If voters are concerned that their ballots have been impacted, the Elections Division said they can request a replacement ballot \u003ca href=\"http://smcacre.gov/elections/request-replacement-ballot\">online\u003c/a> or at a county vote center. Online requests for a replacement must be submitted by Oct. 27. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Only one ballot that each voter submits will be counted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is associated with an individual voter, and ballot processing safeguards prevent duplicate ballots from being counted for the same voter,” the division said in a statement. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Voters can track the status of their vote-by-mail ballots through the secretary of state’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot\">“Where’s My Ballot” service\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>USPIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "am-i-registered-to-vote-midterms-2026-california-voting-for-governor-check-voter-registration-mail-in-ballots",
"title": "Midterms 2026: Monday Is Your Last Day to Register to Vote Online. What to Do if You Miss It",
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"headTitle": "Midterms 2026: Monday Is Your Last Day to Register to Vote Online. What to Do if You Miss It | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">2026 midterm election\u003c/a> in California is just a few weeks away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you want to vote but haven’t yet registered, you should know: Your last day to do this \u003cem>online \u003c/em>is Monday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news: If you miss that deadline for some reason, you still have several options for registering or re-registering all the way through Election Day itself on Nov. 3. You’ll just have to do it in person after that Oct. 19 deadline passes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration and how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address so your ballot arrives in time. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#first-time\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#new-address\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should arrive soon. You can use \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot is mailed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re still waiting on your actual ballot, you can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether it’s been sent out, since counties began mailing these several weeks ago. We also have a 2025 guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-address\">What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “reregistering” to vote. That’s because to update elements of your voter record online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to reregister if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: This won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your Social Security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration, and your details will be updated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089274\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ballots are sorted the day after California’s primary election at the L.A. County Ballot Processing Center on June 3, 2026, in City of Industry, California. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names under which you’ve been registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to reregister to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\">a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will reflect your new address only if you’ve manually updated it or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new address at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have legally changed your name\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You’ll need to reregister to vote with your new name. One important thing: The secretary of state recommends that, before you do that, you \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\">Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In general,” says the Secretary of State’s Office, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address associated with your registration — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if your ballot doesn’t arrive in October, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in October to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before Monday’s Oct. 19 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter casts their ballot at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss Monday’s deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage, not online. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties by Oct. 31. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How to do this: Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-time\">How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first \u003c/em>time?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their ballot at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the Oct. 19 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by providing a description of the place where you spend most of your time if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via an online application\u003c/a> before Oct. 19 or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any DMV field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ballot\">When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oct. 5 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means most people’s ballots have already arrived.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12082778\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Election voting materials, including the official voter information guide, sample ballot and an official ballot with return envelope mailed to a Southern California resident ahead of a state primary election on May 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can use both \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"county\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">2026 midterm election\u003c/a> in California is just a few weeks away.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">2026 midterm election\u003c/a> in California is just a few weeks away.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you want to vote but haven’t yet registered, you should know: Your last day to do this \u003cem>online \u003c/em>is Monday.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you want to vote but haven’t yet registered, you should know: Your last day to do this \u003cem>online \u003c/em>is Monday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The good news: If you miss that deadline for some reason, you still have several options for registering or re-registering all the way through Election Day itself on Nov. 3. You’ll just have to do it in person after that Oct. 19 deadline passes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The good news: If you miss that deadline for some reason, you still have several options for registering or re-registering all the way through Election Day itself on Nov. 3. You’ll just have to do it in person after that Oct. 19 deadline passes.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration and how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address so your ballot arrives in time. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration and how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address so your ballot arrives in time. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n"
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"I want to register to vote for the first time",
"What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?",
"What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?"
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null,
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null,
"\n\n",
null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#first-time\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#first-time\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#new-address\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#new-address\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should arrive soon. You can use \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot is mailed.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should arrive soon. You can use \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot is mailed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re still waiting on your actual ballot, you can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether it’s been sent out, since counties began mailing these several weeks ago. We also have a 2025 guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’re still waiting on your actual ballot, you can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether it’s been sent out, since counties began mailing these several weeks ago. We also have a 2025 guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-address\">What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-address\">What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “reregistering” to vote. That’s because to update elements of your voter record online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “reregistering” to vote. That’s because to update elements of your voter record online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to reregister if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: This won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to reregister if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: This won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your Social Security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration, and your details will be updated.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your Social Security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration, and your details will be updated.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089274\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ballots are sorted the day after California’s primary election at the L.A. County Ballot Processing Center on June 3, 2026, in City of Industry, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089274\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ballots are sorted the day after California’s primary election at the L.A. County Ballot Processing Center on June 3, 2026, in City of Industry, California.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names under which you’ve been registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names under which you’ve been registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to reregister to do that.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to reregister to do that.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\">a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\">a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration:\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
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"text": "If you have moved to a new address within California"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will reflect your new address only if you’ve manually updated it or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will reflect your new address only if you’ve manually updated it or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new address at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new address at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "If you have legally changed your name"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have legally changed your name\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have legally changed your name\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You’ll need to reregister to vote with your new name. One important thing: The secretary of state recommends that, before you do that, you \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You’ll need to reregister to vote with your new name. One important thing: The secretary of state recommends that, before you do that, you \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\">Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\">Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerBlocks": []
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "If you haven’t voted in a while"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/h3>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In general,” says the Secretary of State’s Office, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address associated with your registration — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“In general,” says the Secretary of State’s Office, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address associated with your registration — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So if your ballot doesn’t arrive in October, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So if your ballot doesn’t arrive in October, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "When is my last chance to update my voter registration?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in October to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in October to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before Monday’s Oct. 19 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before Monday’s Oct. 19 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter casts their ballot at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094887\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter casts their ballot at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss Monday’s deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage, not online. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties by Oct. 31. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss Monday’s deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage, not online. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties by Oct. 31. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>How to do this: Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>How to do this: Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How can I register to vote for the first time?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-time\">How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first \u003c/em>time?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-time\">How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first \u003c/em>time?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:\u003c/p>\n"
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"A United States citizen and a resident of California",
"18 years old or older on Election Day"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n"
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}
]
},
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"attrs": {
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their ballot at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095121\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their ballot at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the Oct. 19 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the Oct. 19 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by providing a description of the place where you spend most of your time if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via an online application\u003c/a> before Oct. 19 or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any DMV field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by providing a description of the place where you spend most of your time if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via an online application\u003c/a> before Oct. 19 or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any DMV field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "When will my ballot arrive?",
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},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ballot\">When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ballot\">When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Oct. 5 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means most people’s ballots have already arrived.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Oct. 5 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means most people’s ballots have already arrived.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"id": 12082778,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12082778\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Election voting materials, including the official voter information guide, sample ballot and an official ballot with return envelope mailed to a Southern California resident ahead of a state primary election on May 5, 2026, in Los Angeles.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12082778\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Election voting materials, including the official voter information guide, sample ballot and an official ballot with return envelope mailed to a Southern California resident ahead of a state primary election on May 5, 2026, in Los Angeles.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can use both \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can use both \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How can I contact my county directly about voting?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"county\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"county\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Alameda: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.",
"Contra Costa: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.",
"Marin: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to send a form email.",
"Napa: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.",
"San Francisco: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.",
"San Mateo: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.",
"Santa Clara: Call toll free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.",
"Solano: Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.",
"Sonoma: Call 707-565-6800 or toll free at 800-750-8683."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "How to make sure you’re registered — correctly — to vote in the Nov. 3 state primary election, and your last-minute options all the way until close of polls on Election Day.\n",
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"title": "Midterms 2026: Monday Is Your Last Day to Register to Vote Online. What to Do if You Miss It | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">2026 midterm election\u003c/a> in California is just a few weeks away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you want to vote but haven’t yet registered, you should know: Your last day to do this \u003cem>online \u003c/em>is Monday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The good news: If you miss that deadline for some reason, you still have several options for registering or re-registering all the way through Election Day itself on Nov. 3. You’ll just have to do it in person after that Oct. 19 deadline passes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here’s what to know about checking your voter registration and how to make sure election officials have your correct mailing address so your ballot arrives in time. You can also jump straight to:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#first-time\">I want to register to vote for the first time\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#new-address\">What should I do if I’ve moved to a new address or changed my name?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot\">What if I haven’t received my ballot yet?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I’m almost certain I’m registered to vote … but how can I check?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can check your voter registration status at \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a>, which will show whether you’re registered to vote and the address associated with your registration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If your voter registration is active and your address and name are up to date, your ballot should arrive soon. You can use \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> to check when your ballot is mailed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re still waiting on your actual ballot, you can also use\u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\"> the Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether it’s been sent out, since counties began mailing these several weeks ago. We also have a 2025 guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">what to do if your ballot never showed up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"new-address\">What are some reasons I might need to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Updating your voter registration is also known as “reregistering” to vote. That’s because to update elements of your voter record online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>, you’ll need to register to vote \u003cem>again\u003c/em> as if you were making a new application.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a general rule, you’ll definitely need to reregister if your name or address has changed. But if registering to vote when you know you’re already registered feels weird, don’t worry: This won’t be seen as you trying to fraudulently register to vote twice or anything like that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because your voter registration is tied to your Social Security number and your driver’s license/state ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched with your \u003cem>existing\u003c/em> voter registration, and your details will be updated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12089274\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/CaliforniaBallotsSupremeCourtAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ballots are sorted the day after California’s primary election at the L.A. County Ballot Processing Center on June 3, 2026, in City of Industry, California. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There will also be a section on the form where you can provide any previous addresses and names under which you’ve been registered to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you want to change your party preference, you’ll also need to reregister to do that.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For smaller changes, your county may allow you to submit a Voter Action Form by mail or online. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For example, if San Francisco residents want to make minor changes to their voter registration, they can use \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfelections.org/tools/regupdate/regupd.php\">a form from the San Francisco Department of Elections\u003c/a> to determine whether they can do so online. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You should update your voter registration:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have moved to a new address within California\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If your old address is on your voter registration, then your mail-in ballot will automatically be sent to that address — not your new one. Your voter registration will reflect your new address only if you’ve manually updated it or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">if you’ve updated your address with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new address at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state says that you can also send a signed letter to your current county elections official to let them know you’ve moved, along with your date of birth and current address. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Find your Bay Area county elections office’s website and contact details.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you have legally changed your name\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You’ll need to reregister to vote with your new name. One important thing: The secretary of state recommends that, before you do that, you \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">update your California driver’s license or identification card with the DMV \u003cem>first.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV currently has for you. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/updating-information-on-your-driver-license-or-identification-dl-id-card/\">Read how to update your signature with the DMV.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What if you aren’t able to update your details with the DMV first? The state recommends you select “decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register to vote — but you’ll have to hit “print” and sign the paper application, which you’ll mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Register to vote with your new name at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you haven’t voted in a while\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“In general,” says the Secretary of State’s Office, you’ll stay registered to vote for as long as you remain at the same address associated with your registration — but “\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions\">there are cases in which voter registration can be canceled\u003c/a> if a voter has not voted in several consecutive general elections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So if your ballot doesn’t arrive in October, and you suspect it might be because you haven’t voted in many years, contact your county’s elections office ASAP. \u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">Jump straight to our list of Bay Area county elections offices.\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is my last chance to update my voter registration?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you forget to re-register with your new address or name, and your ballot is sent out in October to the wrong address or without your current name, don’t worry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As long as you update your voter registration online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before Monday’s Oct. 19 deadline, your county will just cancel the ballot that went to your old address and send you a new one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12094887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-11_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter casts their ballot at the Veterans Memorial Center in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>And if things get hectic this month and you miss Monday’s deadline, you can still update your voter registration — you’ll just have to do it in person at that stage, not online. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12082074/california-primary-2026-dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide\">Vote centers will open in most Bay Area counties by Oct. 31. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>How to do this: Go to your county elections office or an open voting location and ask to register in person via Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-time\">How can I register to vote for the \u003cem>first \u003c/em>time?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can register to vote if you’re:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>A United States citizen and a resident of California\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>18 years old or older on Election Day\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>People who are currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction cannot vote or register to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/20260602_Primary2026CD4_GC-19_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their ballot at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can register to vote online at \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">registertovote.ca.gov\u003c/a> before the Oct. 19 deadline. After that, you can register to vote in person at your county elections office or an open voting location, where you can register through Same Day Registration (also called conditional registration). You can do this up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you’re unhoused or have no fixed address, you can still register to vote by providing a description of the place where you spend most of your time if you don’t have a street address, including cross streets. You can \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">register to vote this way via an online application\u003c/a> before Oct. 19 or on the paper voter registration application you can pick up at any DMV field office, or many post offices, public libraries, government offices or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county elections office\u003c/a> by request (where you can also use Same Day Registration in person).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ballot\">When will my ballot arrive?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Every registered voter in California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Oct. 5 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to \u003cem>start\u003c/em> mailing ballots, though many started several days earlier. This means most people’s ballots have already arrived.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/GettyImages-2274165052-scaled-e1778866234143.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12082778\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Election voting materials, including the official voter information guide, sample ballot and an official ballot with return envelope mailed to a Southern California resident ahead of a state primary election on May 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Jay L Clendenin/Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can use both \u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">voterstatus.sos.ca.gov\u003c/a> and the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Where’s My Ballot?\u003c/a> tool to check whether your ballot has been sent out. And if your ballot is still missing, don’t worry: You have options. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12060171/ballot-missing-election-2025-hasnt-arrived-yet-replacement\">Read our 2025 guide for what to do if your ballot doesn’t show up.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>You can use the ballot to cast your vote or you can forget it and request a fresh one at a voting location. The one that arrived in the mail will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"county\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org/\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll free at 800-750-8683.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "in-this-north-bay-assembly-race-big-tech-and-labor-battle-it-out",
"title": "In This North Bay Assembly Race, Big Tech and Labor Battle It Out",
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"headTitle": "In This North Bay Assembly Race, Big Tech and Labor Battle It Out | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eric Lucan, candidate running for California Assembly District 12, poses for a portrait in San Rafael on Oct. 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal-clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aim to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not trying to propose any sort of tech-specific things or crypto,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 2026 campaign’s final weeks, that outside spending battle is coming to a head in District 12 for a few reasons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103666\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district includes all of Marin County and almost half of Sonoma County, which have among the highest rates of voter turnout in the state. Winning over an engaged electorate is a better test for outside groups’ messaging. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district is also seen as a bellwether for Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This district receives a lot more attention from outside groups because it’s seen as an important barometer of where the Legislature is going,” McCuan said. “It has often been a poster child of whether labor is pushing hard or whether more moderate interests are pushing hard.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But against the backdrop of widespread discontent on tech over AI, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103316/santa-clara-californias-capital-of-data-centers-weighs-more-regulations\">data centers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103950/flock-is-catching-flak-experts-say-other-police-surveillance-tools-are-more-worrisome\">Flock cameras\u003c/a>, McCuan said voters have grown more suspicious of the industry’s political spending than of spending by traditional business groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Big Tech has joined Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Oil as one of those big bad boogeymen,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the District 12 primary, business groups including the California Association of Realtors sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EverFloresForCTA/posts/pfbid02845XVD6S1bKeRtT15EabWZJNiLPz3wo74DsPjTh7UMEoXGmg6UUu7XmVsjcjf9qhl?mibextid=wwXIfr\">a mailer\u003c/a> with a cartoon depicting Elward with a drink in her hand, posing next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad accused her of using taxpayer money for travel and hotels, a reference to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1980720/delegation-from-disaster-laden-sonoma-county-a-test-kitchen-for-climate-innovation-attends-cop27\">a 2022 U.N. climate conference\u003c/a> in Egypt that she attended as part of a Sonoma County delegation while serving as Rohnert Park’s mayor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have outside money trying to influence my constituents’ votes by lying to them, purposely lying to them, twisting the truth,” Elward said. “When they thought that wasn’t enough, they went full-on racist.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McCuan said the negative attacks may have actually boosted Elward into second place in the June primary. Lucan finished first with 28.3% of the vote, ahead of Elward’s 22.6%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“General business interests are often caged in a more moderate tone in terms of the language that they’re using and the messages they’re using, and that has a different effect on the electorate,” McCuan said. “There was a bit of a backlash, and she ekes through and moves forward in a primary where otherwise you would not have forecast that at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attack ads, including \u003ca href=\"https://platform.adimpact.com/viewer/84f30677-5400-4af9-a02c-467e0e1ae750\">others funded by Grow California\u003c/a>, may have also drawn more labor money into the race. Union-backed PACs sharply increased their spending for Elward after the negative ads began.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by heavy hitters including the California Labor Federation, SEIU California and the California Teachers Association, spent roughly $240,000 in the primary. Since then, it has spent $1.1 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“White-collar and blue-collar labor are sometimes at odds,” McCuan said. “But in this particular race, they’re pushing back, united against those interests that are really driven on the negative IE side by crypto.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, years in Marin politics provide Lucan, 45, with name recognition and connections that give him an edge in the race. He grew up in Marin and is now raising his three kids there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person puts a yellow ballot envelope in a ballot drop box.\" class=\"wp-image-12012711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their mail-in ballot at a drop box outside of Novato City Hall on Nov. 2, 2024. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was a registered Republican in college but became a Democrat in 2011 after his election to the Novato City Council. He served there, including three terms as mayor, until winning a seat on the Marin County Board of Supervisors in 2022. He and his wife own a fitness studio in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like Larsen, Lucan said the race is not about labor versus business interests, pointing to his endorsements from the California Federation of Teachers and the California Nurses Association — both of which also endorsed Elward. He also has the backing of U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman and California YIMBY, along with chambers of commerce in Novato, San Rafael and Santa Rosa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward is less well known in Marin but won more of Sonoma County’s vote in the primary. She also has the endorsement of the district’s incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who is termed out and running for state Senate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For his part, Lucan disavowed all outside special interests. State law bars candidates from coordinating with independent expenditure committees, so he can’t control how they spend. He did, however, release a statement calling on PACs on both sides — whether they’re funded by “oligarchs, tech billionaires, trial lawyers, crypto, AI, labor groups, developers” — to stop spending in the race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090915\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mill Valley City Hall on July 13, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it is completely dwarfing what candidates have built over a 16-month period of time, and especially when it starts going negative, our democracy and our district deserves better,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In response to all the tech spending this cycle, an Oakland nonprofit called TechEquity Action launched a $1 million ad campaign to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">spotlight the influence of Big Tech money\u003c/a>. It’s targeting four districts, including Assembly District 12, where it expects tech to focus its cash in the final stretch before Election Day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We think it’s an emergency that they not be allowed to fly under the radar,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. “If they’re going to spend this money to influence legislation … the public should know about it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On voters’ doorsteps, though, outside spending rarely comes up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Lucan knocks on doors in Mill Valley, he focuses his message on affordability. That lands with residents like Cathy Danzeisan, who said her biggest concern right now is affording an electric water heater to replace her gas one as the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001900/what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">pushes homeowners to electrify\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need subsidies for low-income homeowners,” she said. “Nobody seems to be coming forward to help us. I can’t even afford to change the breaker box.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 64-year-old lives on Social Security, keeping her one-bedroom home cold in the winter to save on gas bills. For voters like her, the question isn’t who’s spending in this race. It’s about who can bring prices down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the outside influence from Silicon Valley may eventually become hard to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even when we account for inflation, and we have apples-to-apples in terms of campaign spending, it is way more than what we have seen in the past,” McCuan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Win or lose this November, Larsen plans to continue spending in California’s legislative races. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to stay at it,” he said. “Why is SEIU so successful? And I mean that with respect to them. It’s because they show up over and over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could make 2026 a test run, with even greater spending to come in 2028.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">\u003cem>Marisa Lagos\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 16: An earlier version of this story said Grow California funded a mailer with a cartoon depicting Jackie Elward next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad was funded by business groups, including the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eric Lucan, candidate running for California Assembly District 12, poses for a portrait in San Rafael on Oct. 15, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104725\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eric Lucan, candidate running for California Assembly District 12, poses for a portrait in San Rafael on Oct. 15, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal-clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal-clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aim to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aim to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’re not trying to propose any sort of tech-specific things or crypto,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’re not trying to propose any sort of tech-specific things or crypto,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the 2026 campaign’s final weeks, that outside spending battle is coming to a head in District 12 for a few reasons. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the 2026 campaign’s final weeks, that outside spending battle is coming to a head in District 12 for a few reasons. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103666\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103666\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The district includes all of Marin County and almost half of Sonoma County, which have among the highest rates of voter turnout in the state. Winning over an engaged electorate is a better test for outside groups’ messaging. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The district includes all of Marin County and almost half of Sonoma County, which have among the highest rates of voter turnout in the state. Winning over an engaged electorate is a better test for outside groups’ messaging. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The district is also seen as a bellwether for Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This district receives a lot more attention from outside groups because it’s seen as an important barometer of where the Legislature is going,” McCuan said. “It has often been a poster child of whether labor is pushing hard or whether more moderate interests are pushing hard.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This district receives a lot more attention from outside groups because it’s seen as an important barometer of where the Legislature is going,” McCuan said. “It has often been a poster child of whether labor is pushing hard or whether more moderate interests are pushing hard.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But against the backdrop of widespread discontent on tech over AI, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103316/santa-clara-californias-capital-of-data-centers-weighs-more-regulations\">data centers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103950/flock-is-catching-flak-experts-say-other-police-surveillance-tools-are-more-worrisome\">Flock cameras\u003c/a>, McCuan said voters have grown more suspicious of the industry’s political spending than of spending by traditional business groups.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But against the backdrop of widespread discontent on tech over AI, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103316/santa-clara-californias-capital-of-data-centers-weighs-more-regulations\">data centers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103950/flock-is-catching-flak-experts-say-other-police-surveillance-tools-are-more-worrisome\">Flock cameras\u003c/a>, McCuan said voters have grown more suspicious of the industry’s political spending than of spending by traditional business groups.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Big Tech has joined Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Oil as one of those big bad boogeymen,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Big Tech has joined Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Oil as one of those big bad boogeymen,” he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the District 12 primary, business groups including the California Association of Realtors sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EverFloresForCTA/posts/pfbid02845XVD6S1bKeRtT15EabWZJNiLPz3wo74DsPjTh7UMEoXGmg6UUu7XmVsjcjf9qhl?mibextid=wwXIfr\">a mailer\u003c/a> with a cartoon depicting Elward with a drink in her hand, posing next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad accused her of using taxpayer money for travel and hotels, a reference to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1980720/delegation-from-disaster-laden-sonoma-county-a-test-kitchen-for-climate-innovation-attends-cop27\">a 2022 U.N. climate conference\u003c/a> in Egypt that she attended as part of a Sonoma County delegation while serving as Rohnert Park’s mayor.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>During the District 12 primary, business groups including the California Association of Realtors sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EverFloresForCTA/posts/pfbid02845XVD6S1bKeRtT15EabWZJNiLPz3wo74DsPjTh7UMEoXGmg6UUu7XmVsjcjf9qhl?mibextid=wwXIfr\">a mailer\u003c/a> with a cartoon depicting Elward with a drink in her hand, posing next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad accused her of using taxpayer money for travel and hotels, a reference to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1980720/delegation-from-disaster-laden-sonoma-county-a-test-kitchen-for-climate-innovation-attends-cop27\">a 2022 U.N. climate conference\u003c/a> in Egypt that she attended as part of a Sonoma County delegation while serving as Rohnert Park’s mayor.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We have outside money trying to influence my constituents’ votes by lying to them, purposely lying to them, twisting the truth,” Elward said. “When they thought that wasn’t enough, they went full-on racist.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We have outside money trying to influence my constituents’ votes by lying to them, purposely lying to them, twisting the truth,” Elward said. “When they thought that wasn’t enough, they went full-on racist.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McCuan said the negative attacks may have actually boosted Elward into second place in the June primary. Lucan finished first with 28.3% of the vote, ahead of Elward’s 22.6%.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>McCuan said the negative attacks may have actually boosted Elward into second place in the June primary. Lucan finished first with 28.3% of the vote, ahead of Elward’s 22.6%.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“General business interests are often caged in a more moderate tone in terms of the language that they’re using and the messages they’re using, and that has a different effect on the electorate,” McCuan said. “There was a bit of a backlash, and she ekes through and moves forward in a primary where otherwise you would not have forecast that at all.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“General business interests are often caged in a more moderate tone in terms of the language that they’re using and the messages they’re using, and that has a different effect on the electorate,” McCuan said. “There was a bit of a backlash, and she ekes through and moves forward in a primary where otherwise you would not have forecast that at all.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The attack ads, including \u003ca href=\"https://platform.adimpact.com/viewer/84f30677-5400-4af9-a02c-467e0e1ae750\">others funded by Grow California\u003c/a>, may have also drawn more labor money into the race. Union-backed PACs sharply increased their spending for Elward after the negative ads began.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The attack ads, including \u003ca href=\"https://platform.adimpact.com/viewer/84f30677-5400-4af9-a02c-467e0e1ae750\">others funded by Grow California\u003c/a>, may have also drawn more labor money into the race. Union-backed PACs sharply increased their spending for Elward after the negative ads began.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by heavy hitters including the California Labor Federation, SEIU California and the California Teachers Association, spent roughly $240,000 in the primary. Since then, it has spent $1.1 million. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by heavy hitters including the California Labor Federation, SEIU California and the California Teachers Association, spent roughly $240,000 in the primary. Since then, it has spent $1.1 million. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“White-collar and blue-collar labor are sometimes at odds,” McCuan said. “But in this particular race, they’re pushing back, united against those interests that are really driven on the negative IE side by crypto.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“White-collar and blue-collar labor are sometimes at odds,” McCuan said. “But in this particular race, they’re pushing back, united against those interests that are really driven on the negative IE side by crypto.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He was a registered Republican in college but became a Democrat in 2011 after his election to the Novato City Council. He served there, including three terms as mayor, until winning a seat on the Marin County Board of Supervisors in 2022. He and his wife own a fitness studio in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Like Larsen, Lucan said the race is not about labor versus business interests, pointing to his endorsements from the California Federation of Teachers and the California Nurses Association — both of which also endorsed Elward. He also has the backing of U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman and California YIMBY, along with chambers of commerce in Novato, San Rafael and Santa Rosa.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Elward is less well known in Marin but won more of Sonoma County’s vote in the primary. She also has the endorsement of the district’s incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who is termed out and running for state Senate. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For his part, Lucan disavowed all outside special interests. State law bars candidates from coordinating with independent expenditure committees, so he can’t control how they spend. He did, however, release a statement calling on PACs on both sides — whether they’re funded by “oligarchs, tech billionaires, trial lawyers, crypto, AI, labor groups, developers” — to stop spending in the race.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For his part, Lucan disavowed all outside special interests. State law bars candidates from coordinating with independent expenditure committees, so he can’t control how they spend. He did, however, release a statement calling on PACs on both sides — whether they’re funded by “oligarchs, tech billionaires, trial lawyers, crypto, AI, labor groups, developers” — to stop spending in the race.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090915\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mill Valley City Hall on July 13, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When it is completely dwarfing what candidates have built over a 16-month period of time, and especially when it starts going negative, our democracy and our district deserves better,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In response to all the tech spending this cycle, an Oakland nonprofit called TechEquity Action launched a $1 million ad campaign to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">spotlight the influence of Big Tech money\u003c/a>. It’s targeting four districts, including Assembly District 12, where it expects tech to focus its cash in the final stretch before Election Day. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In response to all the tech spending this cycle, an Oakland nonprofit called TechEquity Action launched a $1 million ad campaign to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">spotlight the influence of Big Tech money\u003c/a>. It’s targeting four districts, including Assembly District 12, where it expects tech to focus its cash in the final stretch before Election Day. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We think it’s an emergency that they not be allowed to fly under the radar,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. “If they’re going to spend this money to influence legislation … the public should know about it.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We think it’s an emergency that they not be allowed to fly under the radar,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. “If they’re going to spend this money to influence legislation … the public should know about it.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Lucan knocks on doors in Mill Valley, he focuses his message on affordability. That lands with residents like Cathy Danzeisan, who said her biggest concern right now is affording an electric water heater to replace her gas one as the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001900/what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">pushes homeowners to electrify\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As Lucan knocks on doors in Mill Valley, he focuses his message on affordability. That lands with residents like Cathy Danzeisan, who said her biggest concern right now is affording an electric water heater to replace her gas one as the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001900/what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">pushes homeowners to electrify\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We need subsidies for low-income homeowners,” she said. “Nobody seems to be coming forward to help us. I can’t even afford to change the breaker box.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We need subsidies for low-income homeowners,” she said. “Nobody seems to be coming forward to help us. I can’t even afford to change the breaker box.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 64-year-old lives on Social Security, keeping her one-bedroom home cold in the winter to save on gas bills. For voters like her, the question isn’t who’s spending in this race. It’s about who can bring prices down. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 64-year-old lives on Social Security, keeping her one-bedroom home cold in the winter to save on gas bills. For voters like her, the question isn’t who’s spending in this race. It’s about who can bring prices down. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the outside influence from Silicon Valley may eventually become hard to ignore.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even when we account for inflation, and we have apples-to-apples in terms of campaign spending, it is way more than what we have seen in the past,” McCuan said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Even when we account for inflation, and we have apples-to-apples in terms of campaign spending, it is way more than what we have seen in the past,” McCuan said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Win or lose this November, Larsen plans to continue spending in California’s legislative races. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to stay at it,” he said. “Why is SEIU so successful? And I mean that with respect to them. It’s because they show up over and over.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to stay at it,” he said. “Why is SEIU so successful? And I mean that with respect to them. It’s because they show up over and over.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That could make 2026 a test run, with even greater spending to come in 2028.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">\u003cem>Marisa Lagos\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 16: An earlier version of this story said Grow California funded a mailer with a cartoon depicting Jackie Elward next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad was funded by business groups, including the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 16: An earlier version of this story said Grow California funded a mailer with a cartoon depicting Jackie Elward next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad was funded by business groups, including the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Tech interests are spending tens of millions in California’s state legislative races this election cycle. But for many voters, Big Tech is joining the ranks of the “big bad boogeymen,” one political analyst says.",
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"title": "In This North Bay Assembly Race, Big Tech and Labor Battle It Out | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>On a recent Saturday morning, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/state-assembly-12th-district\">Jackie Elward\u003c/a> stood in a park facing dozens of volunteer canvassers, most of them union members, from sheet metal workers to school support staff.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They grabbed coffee and campaign flyers, preparing to knock on doors and persuade voters to elect Elward to the state Assembly to represent this North Bay district. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before they fanned out, Elward reminded them what was at stake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She said the race is about workers versus corporations. “We know that they are coming to steal our job[s], to make sure that people are out of jobs,” she said. “But guess what? We are not going to allow a billionaire to take over what we have built for so many years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward, 47, is a labor organizer, educator and member of the Rohnert Park City Council who became the first Black woman elected to the council in 2020. She raised three children in the district with her husband after immigrating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104725\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/20261015_ADTECHFUNDINGPT2_GC-8-KQED-48d8eca1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eric Lucan, candidate running for California Assembly District 12, poses for a portrait in San Rafael on Oct. 15, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Her pitch to voters is straightforward: She’s the labor candidate fighting for working families, running against steep spending by tech special interests. Her opponent, Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, is the main beneficiary of that money in this race. Both are Democrats.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We know that the crypto billionaires’ … priority [is] to elect [a] candidate that they can bring to Sacramento in order to push their agenda,” Elward said. “One of the crystal-clear examples is my race.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across California, tech special interests are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">pouring money into legislative races\u003c/a> at levels far above past elections, political analysts say. Two super PACs, Grow California and California Leads, have spent more than $34 million on downballot competitions this year. Grow California is financed by billionaire Chris Larsen, co-founder of the crypto firm Ripple, and billionaire Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and bitcoin investor. California Leads is funded mostly by Meta and Google.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the North Bay’s Assembly District 12, Grow California has spent nearly $3 million so far opposing Elward and supporting Lucan. Elsewhere, the two super PACs are backing mostly moderate, business-friendly candidates in 16 other legislative races, the bulk of them in Southern California. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Political analysts see it as part of a broader fight for power in Sacramento between business and labor interests, which traditionally spend millions every cycle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What you are seeing is an attempt to moderate on the margins many of the potential members that could come into the Assembly and the Senate that would be perceived as too far one way or another,” said David McCuan, a political science professor at Sonoma State University. “They’re pushing these large [independent expenditure] campaigns that are essentially blowing off the doors of any previous level of finance.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Larsen rejected the idea that this can be boiled down to a business-versus-labor struggle. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re looking for problem solvers,” he \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104645/sf-billionaire-chris-larsen-on-ai-this-is-an-incredibly-dangerous-moment\">told KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a> on Thursday. “I don’t even like to use the word ‘moderate.’ That just sounds like you’re doing too much.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Rather, Larsen said, the millions of dollars in political spending this year aim to bring a different perspective to Sacramento, which he said has been dominated by unions that are not focusing on key issues such as housing, energy, the insurance crisis and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’re not trying to propose any sort of tech-specific things or crypto,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While labor and tech face off in the independent expenditure arena, both sides see a vital opening to maximize their influence in California’s Democratic-controlled Legislature: Given that the Trump administration has signaled a resistance to regulating artificial intelligence, the state is in a clear position to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12093427/california-leads-us-with-new-ai-transparency-law\">set the standards\u003c/a> for the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 2026 campaign’s final weeks, that outside spending battle is coming to a head in District 12 for a few reasons. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103666\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-04-BL-KQED-e5df03d2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district includes all of Marin County and almost half of Sonoma County, which have among the highest rates of voter turnout in the state. Winning over an engaged electorate is a better test for outside groups’ messaging. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The district is also seen as a bellwether for Sacramento.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This district receives a lot more attention from outside groups because it’s seen as an important barometer of where the Legislature is going,” McCuan said. “It has often been a poster child of whether labor is pushing hard or whether more moderate interests are pushing hard.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But against the backdrop of widespread discontent on tech over AI, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103316/santa-clara-californias-capital-of-data-centers-weighs-more-regulations\">data centers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103950/flock-is-catching-flak-experts-say-other-police-surveillance-tools-are-more-worrisome\">Flock cameras\u003c/a>, McCuan said voters have grown more suspicious of the industry’s political spending than of spending by traditional business groups.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Big Tech has joined Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Oil as one of those big bad boogeymen,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During the District 12 primary, business groups including the California Association of Realtors sent out \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EverFloresForCTA/posts/pfbid02845XVD6S1bKeRtT15EabWZJNiLPz3wo74DsPjTh7UMEoXGmg6UUu7XmVsjcjf9qhl?mibextid=wwXIfr\">a mailer\u003c/a> with a cartoon depicting Elward with a drink in her hand, posing next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad accused her of using taxpayer money for travel and hotels, a reference to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1980720/delegation-from-disaster-laden-sonoma-county-a-test-kitchen-for-climate-innovation-attends-cop27\">a 2022 U.N. climate conference\u003c/a> in Egypt that she attended as part of a Sonoma County delegation while serving as Rohnert Park’s mayor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We have outside money trying to influence my constituents’ votes by lying to them, purposely lying to them, twisting the truth,” Elward said. “When they thought that wasn’t enough, they went full-on racist.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McCuan said the negative attacks may have actually boosted Elward into second place in the June primary. Lucan finished first with 28.3% of the vote, ahead of Elward’s 22.6%.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“General business interests are often caged in a more moderate tone in terms of the language that they’re using and the messages they’re using, and that has a different effect on the electorate,” McCuan said. “There was a bit of a backlash, and she ekes through and moves forward in a primary where otherwise you would not have forecast that at all.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The attack ads, including \u003ca href=\"https://platform.adimpact.com/viewer/84f30677-5400-4af9-a02c-467e0e1ae750\">others funded by Grow California\u003c/a>, may have also drawn more labor money into the race. Union-backed PACs sharply increased their spending for Elward after the negative ads began.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Californians United for Progress, a super PAC funded by heavy hitters including the California Labor Federation, SEIU California and the California Teachers Association, spent roughly $240,000 in the primary. Since then, it has spent $1.1 million. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“White-collar and blue-collar labor are sometimes at odds,” McCuan said. “But in this particular race, they’re pushing back, united against those interests that are really driven on the negative IE side by crypto.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Still, years in Marin politics provide Lucan, 45, with name recognition and connections that give him an edge in the race. He grew up in Marin and is now raising his three kids there. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person puts a yellow ballot envelope in a ballot drop box.\" class=\"wp-image-12012711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their mail-in ballot at a drop box outside of Novato City Hall on Nov. 2, 2024. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>He was a registered Republican in college but became a Democrat in 2011 after his election to the Novato City Council. He served there, including three terms as mayor, until winning a seat on the Marin County Board of Supervisors in 2022. He and his wife own a fitness studio in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like Larsen, Lucan said the race is not about labor versus business interests, pointing to his endorsements from the California Federation of Teachers and the California Nurses Association — both of which also endorsed Elward. He also has the backing of U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, North Coast Rep. Jared Huffman and California YIMBY, along with chambers of commerce in Novato, San Rafael and Santa Rosa.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Elward is less well known in Marin but won more of Sonoma County’s vote in the primary. She also has the endorsement of the district’s incumbent Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who is termed out and running for state Senate. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For his part, Lucan disavowed all outside special interests. State law bars candidates from coordinating with independent expenditure committees, so he can’t control how they spend. He did, however, release a statement calling on PACs on both sides — whether they’re funded by “oligarchs, tech billionaires, trial lawyers, crypto, AI, labor groups, developers” — to stop spending in the race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090915\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/071326-SausalitoMillValleyPDCityHall-NG-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mill Valley City Hall on July 13, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“When it is completely dwarfing what candidates have built over a 16-month period of time, and especially when it starts going negative, our democracy and our district deserves better,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In response to all the tech spending this cycle, an Oakland nonprofit called TechEquity Action launched a $1 million ad campaign to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12102105/tech-is-spending-big-on-california-races-this-bay-area-group-wants-you-to-know\">spotlight the influence of Big Tech money\u003c/a>. It’s targeting four districts, including Assembly District 12, where it expects tech to focus its cash in the final stretch before Election Day. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We think it’s an emergency that they not be allowed to fly under the radar,” said Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity Action. “If they’re going to spend this money to influence legislation … the public should know about it.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On voters’ doorsteps, though, outside spending rarely comes up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As Lucan knocks on doors in Mill Valley, he focuses his message on affordability. That lands with residents like Cathy Danzeisan, who said her biggest concern right now is affording an electric water heater to replace her gas one as the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2001900/what-will-it-take-for-california-to-meet-its-100-green-energy-goal\">pushes homeowners to electrify\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We need subsidies for low-income homeowners,” she said. “Nobody seems to be coming forward to help us. I can’t even afford to change the breaker box.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 64-year-old lives on Social Security, keeping her one-bedroom home cold in the winter to save on gas bills. For voters like her, the question isn’t who’s spending in this race. It’s about who can bring prices down. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the outside influence from Silicon Valley may eventually become hard to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Even when we account for inflation, and we have apples-to-apples in terms of campaign spending, it is way more than what we have seen in the past,” McCuan said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Win or lose this November, Larsen plans to continue spending in California’s legislative races. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve got to stay at it,” he said. “Why is SEIU so successful? And I mean that with respect to them. It’s because they show up over and over.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That could make 2026 a test run, with even greater spending to come in 2028.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">\u003cem>Marisa Lagos\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 16: An earlier version of this story said Grow California funded a mailer with a cartoon depicting Jackie Elward next to a camel and the pyramids of Giza. The ad was funded by business groups, including the California Association of Realtors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "beyond-scary-ac-transit-riders-brace-for-potential-service-cuts",
"title": "‘Beyond Scary’: AC Transit Riders Brace for Potential Service Cuts ",
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"headTitle": "‘Beyond Scary’: AC Transit Riders Brace for Potential Service Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "If voters reject a regional transit ballot measure, the agency says it will be forced to cut service and lay off hundreds of employees.",
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"title": "‘Beyond Scary’: AC Transit Riders Brace for Potential Service Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Traceé Coltes of Richmond said she relies on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/richmond\">AC Transit\u003c/a>, but she’s noticed that one of her usual lines, the 71, has become unreliable, forcing her to walk to take BART. She said she once missed a mammogram appointment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s beyond scary,” Coltes said. “That’s very important to my health and well-being. I couldn’t go because the bus didn’t show up.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She is among many AC Transit riders who expressed fear and anxiety on Wednesday afternoon during a special AC Transit Board of Directors meeting. The public gave feedback on the agency’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.actransit.org/contingency-plan\">Proposed Contingency Service Plan\u003c/a> that would cut service and lay off workers if voters reject a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/regional-measure-rtm\">regional transit funding ballot measure\u003c/a> this November.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-16-MC-KQED-57e2eb01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Traceé Coltes gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan calls for a 16% reduction in service — removing 100 buses — and laying off up to 300 employees, according to Robert Lyles, spokesperson for AC Transit. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The plan preserves the agency’s “15-minute or better” weekday service on the busiest lines and major travel corridors (such as Telegraph Avenue, Foothill Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Way), but it proposes other cuts.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They include later service start times, at 7 a.m., and earlier end times, at 7 p.m., on many routes, the elimination of all weekend transbay service, to name a few.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The board of directors said it will use nearly 500 pieces of public comment submitted Wednesday to inform a final vote on how to reduce service if the Regional Transit Measure does not pass. If the service reductions are needed, the board expects to consider a proposed final service plan at a Dec. 9 meeting. Service cuts would begin June 2027. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>AC Transit is facing a $200 million structural deficit over the next four years due to pandemic-related drops in ridership, reduced federal, state and local funding (namely the exhaustion of federal Covid-19 relief dollars).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“ We want none of this to activate, but we cannot stick our heads in the sand and pretend that this substantial structural deficit does not exist,” Lyles said. “ The Board’s responsibility is to keep this transit agency operating.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>RTM would create a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco, and is estimated to generate around $1 billion annually for several Bay Area transit agencies, including BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit over 14 years. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>About 21% of the tax collected in Alameda County and 3% of the tax collected in Contra Costa County would support AC Transit — generating an estimated $50 million annually for the agency. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes and other riders said that they’re already seeing a preview of what life will be like if AC Transit reduces service — what AC Transit Director Jean Walsh calls the agency’s “reliability crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-10-MC-KQED-d6321b53-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A member of the public looks at a bus line map at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12104552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104552\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-12-MC-KQED-9fe7c0ac-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">James Bowens gives his public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"12104550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-02-MC-KQED-8dddc922-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Members of the public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Far too many trips are being canceled, and the problem has been getting worse,” Walsh said in an emailed statement, speaking as an individual board member, noting that her views did not necessarily reflect the rest of the Board or AC Transit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh said a combination of absenteeism and understaffing has led to a lack of bus operators, causing “significant” rates of cancellations.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Our goal is to run 99.5% of scheduled buses, but we have been falling far short of that goal and inconveniencing thousands of people in the process,” Walsh said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Walsh added that the board recently approved her motion to increase reliability reporting from twice a year to monthly, which is set to begin at the end of October. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104556\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/101426-ACTRANSIT-17-MC-KQED-c0067815-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiwan Gore gives her public comment at the AC Transit headquarters on Oct. 14, 2026, in Oakland. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>Kiwan Gore of Berkeley encouraged the board to reduce rather than eliminate weekend transbay service in its contingency plan. Born with cerebral palsy, she said she relies on AC Transit “big time,” and that other transit agencies, like BART, are “financially out of reach” for her. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m in the city a lot, especially on the weekends. So for me, cutting transbay service on weekends is drastic,” Gore said. “ I’m anxious about it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Coltes was also concerned that the proposed cuts would affect not only her own quality of life, but also seniors, parents and working people who struggle to afford the Bay Area’s high cost of living.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“You can’t get a paycheck if you can’t even get to work, and if your means of transportation is public transportation and it’s constantly decreasing, then you see where that goes,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-officials-denounce-trump-dojs-demands-to-prove-voters-citizenship",
"title": "Trump Administration Sues California After Demands to Prove Voters’ Citizenship",
"publishDate": 1792097126,
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"headTitle": "Trump Administration Sues California After Demands to Prove Voters’ Citizenship | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Dean Logan, who are also named as defendants in the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The letters sent by acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a press conference, May 6, 2025, at the Justice Department in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are nineteen days away from the last day of voting. Six million ballots have already been cast. This is not a good faith effort based on the timing,” said David Becker, who heads the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Attorney General Todd Blanche said the 20,000 individuals were flagged as likely noncitizens by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We provided California an opportunity to self-correct its records, and we requested that it segregate the suspected illegal ballots for the upcoming election,” Blanche said in a statement. “California has refused to comply and intends to facilitate noncitizens in voting, which is a violation of federal law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Logan said Los Angeles County election officials did not try accessing the thumb drive because it didn’t meet the registrar’s security standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After McCotter sent the letters to Weber and Logan, California Attorney General Rob Bonta denounced the Trump administration for taking such a step while voters across the state are already filling out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">vote-by-mail ballots\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every count, recount, hand count, lawsuit, and audit has found that there’s no widespread voter fraud in the U.S.,” Bonta wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2110834245312839757\">post\u003c/a> on X, responding to the lawsuit. “The Trump Admin’s last-minute demands are meritless, and we look forward to making our case in court.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Weber’s office released a response to McCotter’s letter in which the state’s top elections official said she aimed “to set the record straight.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She noted “serious doubts” about the accuracy of the list as well as an earlier claim from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin that over 190,000 registered California voters “may be” noncitizens. California has yet to receive any response to a request for the data and methodology behind those claims, Weber said, noting that courts have found the federal government’s citizenship records to be unreliable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the federal government possesses proof that certain registered voters in California are ineligible, we will welcome the opportunity to review that evidence and any supporting data or methodology,” Weber wrote in her letter to McCotter. “However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians—or order any county elections official to do so—based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla joined other California officials in labeling the lawsuit an attempt at election interference.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen this coming: Donald Trump’s Department of Justice with no authority is now actively trying to interfere in the 2026 elections and strong-arm California into purging names from our voter rolls and blocking mail ballots based purely on vague allegations less than three weeks before Election Day,” Padilla said in a statement Thursday. “This lawsuit has no legal basis or evidence behind it and is nothing more than a blatant abuse of power designed to sow distrust in our elections and threaten Americans’ right to vote.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice’s demands come after most California counties already began mailing ballots to voters last week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California’s voter lists are public, and this administration has had 21 months with total control of the federal government to review those public lists. … One must question why the DOJ would violate its own rules about investigating elections close to Election Day, and over a week after they knew the state had already mailed ballots out, particularly when their past claims have been full of errors,” Becker said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t immediately clear whether any other county elections offices received similar letters from the Trump administration, though several Northern California counties contacted by KQED had not as of Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unless we hear otherwise from the California Secretary of State, there will be no changes to Vote-by-Mail procedures in Sonoma County for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election,” Wendy Hudson, deputy chief registrar of voters for Sonoma County, said in a statement to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials in Marin, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano and Yolo counties also said they hadn’t received any communication from the federal government demanding proof of citizenship for the voters on their rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Registration data is cross-checked at the state level, with other state and federal agencies to ensure that only eligible people are registered,” Hudson said. “If someone does not confirm on a voter registration application that they are a U.S. citizen, we would not process their voter registration application.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">Marisa Lagos\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">Izzy Bloom\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Dean Logan, who are also named as defendants in the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The letters sent by acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are nineteen days away from the last day of voting. Six million ballots have already been cast. This is not a good faith effort based on the timing,” said David Becker, who heads the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We are nineteen days away from the last day of voting. Six million ballots have already been cast. This is not a good faith effort based on the timing,” said David Becker, who heads the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Attorney General Todd Blanche said the 20,000 individuals were flagged as likely noncitizens by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Attorney General Todd Blanche said the 20,000 individuals were flagged as likely noncitizens by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We provided California an opportunity to self-correct its records, and we requested that it segregate the suspected illegal ballots for the upcoming election,” Blanche said in a statement. “California has refused to comply and intends to facilitate noncitizens in voting, which is a violation of federal law.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Logan said Los Angeles County election officials did not try accessing the thumb drive because it didn’t meet the registrar’s security standards.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After McCotter sent the letters to Weber and Logan, California Attorney General Rob Bonta denounced the Trump administration for taking such a step while voters across the state are already filling out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">vote-by-mail ballots\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After McCotter sent the letters to Weber and Logan, California Attorney General Rob Bonta denounced the Trump administration for taking such a step while voters across the state are already filling out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">vote-by-mail ballots\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every count, recount, hand count, lawsuit, and audit has found that there’s no widespread voter fraud in the U.S.,” Bonta wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2110834245312839757\">post\u003c/a> on X, responding to the lawsuit. “The Trump Admin’s last-minute demands are meritless, and we look forward to making our case in court.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Weber’s office released a response to McCotter’s letter in which the state’s top elections official said she aimed “to set the record straight.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She noted “serious doubts” about the accuracy of the list as well as an earlier claim from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin that over 190,000 registered California voters “may be” noncitizens. California has yet to receive any response to a request for the data and methodology behind those claims, Weber said, noting that courts have found the federal government’s citizenship records to be unreliable.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She noted “serious doubts” about the accuracy of the list as well as an earlier claim from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin that over 190,000 registered California voters “may be” noncitizens. California has yet to receive any response to a request for the data and methodology behind those claims, Weber said, noting that courts have found the federal government’s citizenship records to be unreliable.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If the federal government possesses proof that certain registered voters in California are ineligible, we will welcome the opportunity to review that evidence and any supporting data or methodology,” Weber wrote in her letter to McCotter. “However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians—or order any county elections official to do so—based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If the federal government possesses proof that certain registered voters in California are ineligible, we will welcome the opportunity to review that evidence and any supporting data or methodology,” Weber wrote in her letter to McCotter. “However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians—or order any county elections official to do so—based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla joined other California officials in labeling the lawsuit an attempt at election interference.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen this coming: Donald Trump’s Department of Justice with no authority is now actively trying to interfere in the 2026 elections and strong-arm California into purging names from our voter rolls and blocking mail ballots based purely on vague allegations less than three weeks before Election Day,” Padilla said in a statement Thursday. “This lawsuit has no legal basis or evidence behind it and is nothing more than a blatant abuse of power designed to sow distrust in our elections and threaten Americans’ right to vote.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen this coming: Donald Trump’s Department of Justice with no authority is now actively trying to interfere in the 2026 elections and strong-arm California into purging names from our voter rolls and blocking mail ballots based purely on vague allegations less than three weeks before Election Day,” Padilla said in a statement Thursday. “This lawsuit has no legal basis or evidence behind it and is nothing more than a blatant abuse of power designed to sow distrust in our elections and threaten Americans’ right to vote.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice’s demands come after most California counties already began mailing ballots to voters last week. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“California’s voter lists are public, and this administration has had 21 months with total control of the federal government to review those public lists. … One must question why the DOJ would violate its own rules about investigating elections close to Election Day, and over a week after they knew the state had already mailed ballots out, particularly when their past claims have been full of errors,” Becker said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It wasn’t immediately clear whether any other county elections offices received similar letters from the Trump administration, though several Northern California counties contacted by KQED had not as of Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It wasn’t immediately clear whether any other county elections offices received similar letters from the Trump administration, though several Northern California counties contacted by KQED had not as of Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Unless we hear otherwise from the California Secretary of State, there will be no changes to Vote-by-Mail procedures in Sonoma County for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election,” Wendy Hudson, deputy chief registrar of voters for Sonoma County, said in a statement to KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Officials in Marin, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano and Yolo counties also said they hadn’t received any communication from the federal government demanding proof of citizenship for the voters on their rolls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Officials in Marin, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano and Yolo counties also said they hadn’t received any communication from the federal government demanding proof of citizenship for the voters on their rolls.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Registration data is cross-checked at the state level, with other state and federal agencies to ensure that only eligible people are registered,” Hudson said. “If someone does not confirm on a voter registration application that they are a U.S. citizen, we would not process their voter registration application.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Registration data is cross-checked at the state level, with other state and federal agencies to ensure that only eligible people are registered,” Hudson said. “If someone does not confirm on a voter registration application that they are a U.S. citizen, we would not process their voter registration application.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">Marisa Lagos\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">Izzy Bloom\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Just weeks before Election Day, the U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal court to order California to withhold ballots from 20,000 voters it flagged as potentially ineligible.",
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"title": "Trump Administration Sues California After Demands to Prove Voters’ Citizenship | KQED",
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"headline": "Trump Administration Sues California After Demands to Prove Voters’ Citizenship",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/trump-administration\">Trump administration\u003c/a> sued California and state elections officials on Thursday, two days after demanding that they prove U.S. citizenship for tens of thousands of registered voters — or set aside their ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The unusual lawsuit, filed weeks before Election Day, immediately drew criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and state officials, who have accused President Donald Trump and the federal government of stoking unfounded concerns about voter fraud and trying to intimidate voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In letters sent Tuesday to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Dean Logan, who are also named as defendants in the lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice gave officials two days to confirm the voters’ citizenship status, ramping up its pressure on the state to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/election-integrity\">root out alleged voter fraud\u003c/a> ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The letters sent by acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter were accompanied by a password-protected thumb drive that the DOJ said contained the names of over 20,000 voters who the federal government “believes are likely noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In its complaint filed Thursday, the Justice Department asked a federal court to order California to set aside the vote-by-mail ballots sent to those people and to block the state from counting those ballots until the voters’ citizenship status can be confirmed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12104428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/DOJAPPhoto-196de4d3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a press conference, May 6, 2025, at the Justice Department in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Newsom said in a statement. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Similar suits by the Trump administration over California’s voter rolls have been unsuccessful since the start of Trump’s second term.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We are nineteen days away from the last day of voting. Six million ballots have already been cast. This is not a good faith effort based on the timing,” said David Becker, who heads the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Attorney General Todd Blanche said the 20,000 individuals were flagged as likely noncitizens by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We provided California an opportunity to self-correct its records, and we requested that it segregate the suspected illegal ballots for the upcoming election,” Blanche said in a statement. “California has refused to comply and intends to facilitate noncitizens in voting, which is a violation of federal law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In a statement, Logan said Los Angeles County election officials did not try accessing the thumb drive because it didn’t meet the registrar’s security standards.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After McCotter sent the letters to Weber and Logan, California Attorney General Rob Bonta denounced the Trump administration for taking such a step while voters across the state are already filling out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103647/dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor\">vote-by-mail ballots\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Every count, recount, hand count, lawsuit, and audit has found that there’s no widespread voter fraud in the U.S.,” Bonta wrote in a \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/AGRobBonta/status/2110834245312839757\">post\u003c/a> on X, responding to the lawsuit. “The Trump Admin’s last-minute demands are meritless, and we look forward to making our case in court.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On Thursday, Weber’s office released a response to McCotter’s letter in which the state’s top elections official said she aimed “to set the record straight.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She noted “serious doubts” about the accuracy of the list as well as an earlier claim from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin that over 190,000 registered California voters “may be” noncitizens. California has yet to receive any response to a request for the data and methodology behind those claims, Weber said, noting that courts have found the federal government’s citizenship records to be unreliable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“If the federal government possesses proof that certain registered voters in California are ineligible, we will welcome the opportunity to review that evidence and any supporting data or methodology,” Weber wrote in her letter to McCotter. “However, I will not disenfranchise thousands of Californians—or order any county elections official to do so—based solely upon an unsupported and likely inaccurate ‘belie[f]’ that certain voters are ‘likely’ noncitizens.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla joined other California officials in labeling the lawsuit an attempt at election interference.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We’ve seen this coming: Donald Trump’s Department of Justice with no authority is now actively trying to interfere in the 2026 elections and strong-arm California into purging names from our voter rolls and blocking mail ballots based purely on vague allegations less than three weeks before Election Day,” Padilla said in a statement Thursday. “This lawsuit has no legal basis or evidence behind it and is nothing more than a blatant abuse of power designed to sow distrust in our elections and threaten Americans’ right to vote.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/GettyImages-2285787606-scaled-e1791586238561.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12091600\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House on July 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/Pool via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Department of Justice’s demands come after most California counties already began mailing ballots to voters last week. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“California’s voter lists are public, and this administration has had 21 months with total control of the federal government to review those public lists. … One must question why the DOJ would violate its own rules about investigating elections close to Election Day, and over a week after they knew the state had already mailed ballots out, particularly when their past claims have been full of errors,” Becker said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It wasn’t immediately clear whether any other county elections offices received similar letters from the Trump administration, though several Northern California counties contacted by KQED had not as of Wednesday afternoon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Unless we hear otherwise from the California Secretary of State, there will be no changes to Vote-by-Mail procedures in Sonoma County for the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election,” Wendy Hudson, deputy chief registrar of voters for Sonoma County, said in a statement to KQED.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Officials in Marin, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Solano and Yolo counties also said they hadn’t received any communication from the federal government demanding proof of citizenship for the voters on their rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Registration data is cross-checked at the state level, with other state and federal agencies to ensure that only eligible people are registered,” Hudson said. “If someone does not confirm on a voter registration application that they are a U.S. citizen, we would not process their voter registration application.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/mlagos\">Marisa Lagos\u003c/a>\u003c/em> \u003cem>and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/ibloom\">Izzy Bloom\u003c/a> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"onourwatch": {
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"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"perspectives": {
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"planet-money": {
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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},
"pri-the-world": {
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"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
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"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
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