What to Expect in the 2026 Midterm Elections
Capitol Briefing Series 2026

In partnership with the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the Center for Inclusive Democracy is conducting a series of legislative briefings at the State Capitol that will explore key issues present in the run-up to the 2026 US midterm elections at the California and national levels.

The series explores the following urgent topics in the elections field:

Topic: Voters Concerns About Election Interference in 2026: What to Expect and What will be California’s Response

May 21, 2pm to 3pm

Panelists:

• Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, District 28, Chair, Assembly Election
  Committee (invited)

• Gowri Ramachandran, Director of Elections and Security, Elections &
  Government, Brennan Center for Justice

• Brittany Stonesifer, Voting Rights and Redistricting Program Manager,
  California Common Cause

Additional panelist will be announced soon.

Moderator:

• Mindy Romero, Ph.D., Director, Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)
  
  

California State Legislative Building, Room 100

In-person event only. Event open to the public and will be recorded.

Register Here

Future Events in CID's 2026 Capitol Speakers Series:

Topic: The Battle for Control of Congress and the Impact of Prop 50

June 25, 2pm to 3pm

Panelists:

• Paul Mitchell, Vice President at Political Data

• Eric McGhee, Ph.D., Policy Director and Senior Fellow at the Public
  Policy Institute of California (PPIC)

Moderator:

• Mindy Romero, Ph.D., Director, Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)

Additional panelists will be announced soon.

California State Capitol Building, Capitol Room 127

In-person event only. Event open to the public and will be recorded

Register Here

July 23, 2pm to 3pm

• Topic: Threats to Voter Access:? Discussing the SAVE ACT, Executive Orders and Voter ID Laws.

• California State Capitol Building, Capitol Room 127

• In-person event. Event open to the public.

• Speakers announced soon.

Register Here

Previous Events in CID's 2026 Capitol Speakers Series:

April 30, 1pm to 2pm

• Topic: Counting Every Vote in California: Access, Accuracy, and Public Trust in a Climate of Misinformation?

  Panelists:

• Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Assessor, Clerk-recorder and Registrar of voters.

• Eric McGee, Ph.D., Policy Director and Senior Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC)

• Ditas Katague, California Democracy Partnership, The Ditas Groups LLC, Former Associate Director of Communications, US Census

• Laura Fitzgerald, Statehouse/Politics Reporter at Capital Public Radio

• Moderator: Mindy Romero, Ph.D., Director, Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)

• California State Capitol Building, Capitol Room 127