Understanding California Elections and Electorate Ahead of November

October 01, 2024

CID hosted a democracy conference at the USC Sacramento Campus titled, Understanding California Elections and Electorate Ahead of November.

The conference featured panels of national and local experts who discussed the state of voter turnout in California, and the challenges and opportunities for administering (and engaging in) safe and accessible elections this November.

Sponsored by Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund, California Black Freedom Fund, California Community Foundation, Latino Community Foundation, Northern California Grantmakers, and Powerful Innovations for Voter Organizing and Transformation.

Recordings available now for each presentation and panel:

• Why Is Voter Engagement Needed?: Turnout Disparities in California's Elections (welcome/presentation by Mindy Romero)
  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

• The Transformation of California’s Election Administration (presentation by Eric McGhee)
  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

• What to Expect in the Next 60 Days?: Threats, Risks, Opportunities in Election Administration (panel)
  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

• New Developments in Local Elections and Local Reforms on the Ballot (panel)

  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

• A Multi-Racial Democracy Requires Inclusive and Reliable Data (panel)
  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

• What to Expect From Voters This November (panel)
  Click here for the full recording.
  Click here for the highlight reel.

EVENT SCHEDULE (Pacific Time Zone)

Location (in-person and virtual)
USC State Capital Center
1800 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95811

Event Begins

8:30 – 9:00 am Networking/light breakfast

9:00 – 9:30 am Welcome and presentation

9:30 – 9:40 am Break/networking

9:40 – 10:10 am Presentation

10:10 – 10:20 am Break/networking

10:20 – 11:05 am Panel One:

What to Expect in the Next 60 Days?: Threats, Risks, Opportunities in Election Administration

Moderator: Laura Fitzgerald – Statehouse/Politics Reporter at Capital Public Radio

Panelists:

Jana Lean – Chief, Elections Division, California Secretary of State

Jesse Salinas – Yolo County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters for Yolo County

Kim Alexander – President, California Voter Foundation

Natalie Adona– Nevada County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters

11:05 – 11:15 am Break/networking

11:15 – 12:00 pm Panel Two:

New Developments in Local Elections and Local Reforms on the Ballot

Moderator: Carol Moon Goldberg – First Vice President, League of Women Voters of California

Panelists:

Lukas Brekke-Miesner – Executive Director, Oakland Kids First

 Aaron Robertson – Director of Political Voice, Catalyst California

 Pedro Hernandez – Legal and Policy Director, California Common Cause

12:00 – 12:30 pm Lunch Break/networking

12:30 – 1:15 pm Panel Three:

A Multi-Racial Democracy Requires Inclusive and Reliable Data: A Conversation on Data Limitations and Opportunities in California Voter Research

Moderator: John Myers – Former LA Times Sacramento Bureau Chief

Panelists:

Karin McDonald, Ph.D. – Director, Statewide Database, University of California, Berkeley

Mindy Romero, Ph.D. CID Director

Eric McGhee, Ph.D. – Policy Director and Senior Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California

Paul Mitchell – Vice President, Political Data, Inc.

Matt Barreto Ph.D. - Professor of Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles

1:15 – 1:25 pm Break/networking

1:25 – 2:10 pm Closing Panel  

What to Expect from Voters this November

Moderator: Sameea Kamal - Capitol Reporter for CalMatters

Panelists:

Rosalind Gold - Chief Public Policy Officer, NALEO Educational Fund

Luis Sánchez - Executive Director, Power California

Reshma Shamasunder - Executive Director, Asian American Futures

Kristin Nimmers – Policy and Campaigns Manager, California Black Power Network

2:10 – 2:20 pm Closing thoughts

2:20 pm Conclude

Reception Immediately Following Event