Compliance regulations of a mocon City Committee hearings with House Resolution 965 and believe the committee will keep microphones muted, limit background noise, members will need to unmute themselves when seeking recognition for five minutes. Witnesses will need to unmute themselves when recognized for their five minutes or when recognized for questions. Members and witnesses, please keep your camera on at all time, even if you have to step away for a moment during the meeting. Do not leave the meeting. As we begin, we should take a moment to honor an important anniversary in our nations history. Today, hundreds of thousands of americans went to our Nations Capital for the march on washington for jobs and freedoms. Our beloved culligan hearing hero, the late representative john lewis, went to the Lincoln Memorial that day. The lessly challenged our countrys denial to freedom of black rights americans, including the right to vote. 70 years earlier called preservative of all rights. Today, many people are gathering at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the march and continue demands for Voting Rights, racial equality, police accountability, and criminal justice reform. On it, access to voting, the bedrock of our democracy. Today, the likes of our country has not experienced in more than a century, voters are worried about how to safely votes and navigate potential disruption november. Nearly half of americans will be voting physically, according to recent polling. It doesnt have to be that way. No one should be forced to choose between the right to vote for their health. In june, its an important subcommittee hearing to examine the impact of covid19 and Voting Rights and Election Administration. Tragically, since that hearing, an additional 3. 6 Million People have become infected in the United States, and another 59,000 americans have lost their lives to the disease. This crisis has devastated many families and disrupted our way of life. The virus will continue to affect for the foreseeable future, including how we vote. I look forward to hearing more today with our experts about how people can vote safely vote during this pandemic. Americans have cast ballots nationaleat strife and emergencies before. Civil war voters voted by mail in the battlefield, millions of men and women in uniform have voted by mail since then, including after Congress Passed in 1942 soldier voting act and the federal Voting Assistance act in 1965. References to civilian mail voting date back to the late 1800s. This year, many states have changed their election procedures to make voting safer, from a Public Health perspective. Although some voters in all 50 states can vote from home, the widest availability in 44 states and the District Of Columbia, noexcuse, vote by mail state or where fear of covid counts as a valid excuse this fall. Other americans can choose to vote early in person from one of 42 states provided. Early inperson voting helps keep polling places less crowded crowded. Offering those methods is consistent with the cdc recommends alternative voting methods that minimize direct contact and reduce crowd sizes. Voters should have the option to vote by mail or in person and it should be safe and accessible. Alternative voting methods that minimize contact and reduce the house voted to make this possible, 105 days ago and the h. E. R. O. E. S. Act, including 3. 6 billion in funding. Unfortunately, leader mcconnell efusing to pick up legislation and do nothing for months. The violence has not delayed, nor has it simply disappeared. Sadly, neither has the president s Misinformation Campaign against voting, especially absentee voting. The president has expanded to include even the United StatesPostal Service, a venerated and popular institution enshrined in our constitution. Earlier this month, President Trump, as he is prone to do, said the quiet part out loud. He explicitly stated he opposes funding the Postal Service, because the Postal Service facilitates voting by mail. Meanwhile, the trump reported dejoyser general louis act of disrupted policies that have caused backlogs and mail delivery across the country. Impeding mail service to senior citizens, veterans, and the sick who depend on Postal Service to deliver educations and other essentials, including ballots. Ive heard from thousands of my own constituents whose mail has been delayed. They were outraged. After much public outcry, postmaster general dejoy announced some policy changes would be paused until after the election. This reckless management of the Postal Services warrants close scrutiny and continued accountability. The house continued on saturday, passing the delivery for america act on a bipartisan basis to prohibit the Postal Service from implementing any further changes that will delay mail and reduced delivery standards. The bill would also require the Postal Service to treat all election mail as firstclass mail, as has been practiced for years. And it will provide the 25 billion in muchneeded funding, that its board of governors each , governor appointed by President Trump himself, has requested. Still, the president continues to spread disinformation about and falsehoods about the safety and security of voting. They do not bear repeating at a congressional hearing. What does bears repeating is the best way voters can stand up to bullies at the ballot box. Make a plan to vote, register to vote or confirm registration, and update it if necessary. Do it as soon as possible. Te. Gov for morefovo information. Decide if you plan to vote in person or by mail. Researcher options. Follow the instructions carefully, including request of ballot. Cast your ballot early if you can. And if youre healthy and able, consider signing up to work as a poll volunteer by going to helpamericavote. Gov. Many jurisdictions scrambled at the last minute to find coal workers this spring and summer. You can do your part by considering this public service. Now i look forward to the testimony today. I want to recognize first the Ranking Member, mr. Davis, for Opening Statements he wish to may wish to make it i also understand he wishes to show a video of less than two minutes as part of the Opening Statements. Mr. Davis, you are now recognized. You, madam thank chair, and thank you for recognizing our colleague, john lewis, and the difference he made to our nation not so long ago. I want to do something a little different today and start off by this video brought to my attention a couple of days ago, and i was haunted by the rhetoric, that i cant unsee it or unhear because its this unnecessary rhetoric that led to me and my republican colleague getting shot at the baseball field three years ago. This is a video by the Democratic Association and secretaries of state whose chair is a witness today at this hearing. Heres the video. [silence] undergoing. Attling a killer White Supremacy does not endure White Supremacy does not endure on its own. Suppressingd up by black voices and votes. Threefifths compromise to voter i. D. White supremacy isnt just a classic ideology, its a strategy to hold power. Segregation forever. Its no surprise donald trump thinks of the strategy in 2020. Pres. Trump very fine people on both sides. That is why democratic secretaries of state will fight to ensure every eligible american can vote safely in november. Expanding vote by mail so no one has to choose between their vote and their health. White supremacy has no place in our elections and no place in our country. Together, we can demand in an america that is truly equal. Rep. Davis thank you, madam chair. White supremacy doesnt have any place in our nation, but it is thatthe top rhetoric like that led to many situations that im afraid i dont want to see happen to anyone in this country. Recent analysis by npr found that nearly half a million ballots rejected in the 2020 primaries. Studies also show voters of color are more likely than others to have their ballot not count. In california alone, 102,000 ballots rejected. 22,000 wisconsin. These are democrat states. 28 million mailin ballots went missing according to the eac. Democrats in this house and across the country continue to push implementing universal vote by mail before the november election, just over 60 days away. During the 2020 primaries, with the closure of polling places across the country, forcing people to wait hours in line to vote. Washington d. C. Closed more than 120 polling places. In atlanta, voters were upwards five hoursards of because of their polling places. In philadelphia, 77 of the polling locations were closed. In houston, voters waited close to six hours to vote. All of these cities are democrats. The Voting Rights act of 1965 fight against discrimination, to ensure that every american can cast a vote. Im afraid the policy is being pushed by democrats are unintentionally taking us backwards. I have sent oversight letters to localities, where we have seen these issues during recent primaries, because i am concerned, unless changes are made, voters will be disenfranchised this fall. Again most of these are , democratcontrolled areas. I am very concerned about fraud. Ballot isve valid i mailed to every registered olls arehen those r not updated. Not because i want to suppress votes but i want every vote to count. I want every american to have the confidence we have to vote. Racist or white supremacist, im incredibly disappointed the ad insinuates that. Again this is the kind of , rhetoric that i personally witnessed and even violence last night in washington, d. C. No one should stand for that. Instead lets discuss our , differences and find Common Ground to empower states and localities to help everyone safely and securely vote this fall. With that, madam chair, i will yield back the balance of my time. Rep. Lofgren we have a distinguished group of witnesses, and i will introduce them in turn. First we have secretary alex padilla, who is the california secretary of state. He is focused on increasing Voter Registration and participation in Voting Rights. In 2018, he launched the california program, which automatically registered eligible californians to vote may obtain or renew their state i. D. Or drivers license. California reach a record high 21 million new voters this year alone. In march 2019, california reaching record high 70 million from filling registered voters. He oversaw the 2018 election in which 64. 5 of registered voters cast a ballot. The highest turnout in the gubernatorial election. To establish vote centers and registration. Implement sameday Voter Registration through the california choice act. Previously, he served two terms in the California State Senate representing the east San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles City county. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley, attended local schools, graduated Massachusetts Institute of technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering , and i remember when he was he saidhead of lulac, he only did that for two things besides being in the state , senate, being a husband and was being chair i. T. Alumni association. Welcome to you. We also have julie wise, the director of elections in king county in washington since november 2015. King county is the 13th largest county in the nation and has approximately 1. 3 million registered voters. She has worked there for nearly 16 years, including managing operations of elections. Washington state certified election administrator, certified election registration, recognizing both sides of the nation, receiving significant reform and Innovative Solutions for new barriers and increase access while ensuring access for security and transparency. Shes added two languages, allowing voters to access Elections Services in overall. Fiveenglish, chinese, korean, spanish, and vietnamese. In 2018, she worked with the king Council Executive in providing prepaid postage for all registered voters in the county. And we welcome you. We also have ms. Amber reynolds, mcreynolds, ceo National Voters coalition. She is coauthor of when women vote and former director of elections for the city and county of denver, colorado. She has experience in election professional and nationally recognized as an innovator in designing voter policies. Implementing Technical Innovations and improve the voting experience. Denver elections for national and International Recognition for the u. S. Election assistance commission, Election National association of counties and international studies. Additional petition circulation applications that makes ballot process more efficient. She was recognized in 2018 is as top public official of the year by governing magazine for her work to improve the voting experience in denver and across colorado. Recently, she was recognized as one of the top 25 most powerful women in business in colorado. She served on the Advisory Board for the m. I. T. Election data and science labs and other organizations. She has masters of science from the London School of economics and Political Science and a bachelor of arts from the university of illinois champagne or bono. Urbana. Amber, thank you for being here. Thank you so much for being here. She is president and ceo of the Leadership Conference on civil rights. She has been working to advance civil rights her entire career. Before joining in june 2017, i think this is an attorney and head of the u. S. Department of justice and civil rights division. October 2014, by president barack obama as the chief civil rights prosecutor for the u. S. , a wide range of criminal and civil efforts to ensure justice and protect equal opportunity for all during one of the most consequential periods for the division. Under her leadership, critical work and a number of areas including advancing , Constitutional Police and criminal justice reform, prosecutors hate crime, human trafficking, disability rights, protecting the rights of lgbt q individuals, ensuring Voting Rights for all, and combating discrimination in education housing, lending, and religious exercise. Prior to joining the justice department, she was deputy legal director and directives of the center for justice of the American Civil Liberties union. Joining the staff, beginning her legal career in the Legal Defense and education, she graduated magna cum laude in the and yale university, received her law degree from the New York University school of law, where she had civil rights litigation at the clinic for several years. We welcome you. Finally, commissioner donald palmer, was the eac in 2019, a former bipartisan policy scholar, divided testimony to state legislature on Election Year in voting reform. Commissioner palmer was appointed secretary of the virginia board of election by former governor Bob Mcdonnell in 2011 and the commonwealth chief election officer until 2014. He formerly served as the Florida Department of state elector of elections. Prior to the Election Administration, he served as attorney for the Voting Rights section of the department of justices civil rights division. He was a u. S. Navy intelligence advocatend judge advocat general and he was awarded the navys service model, and accommodation medal. We welcome you, commissioner, and all witnesses, and i remind the witnesses the full statement will be limited to the record and would like to address you for about five minutes, summarizing your testimony and then you will can have questions. First, we will return to you, secretary padilla. Thank you for being here. Sec. Padilla thank you, ranking lofgren,an Ranking Member davis, and members of the committee for the opportunity to set you today. I want to talk about the two greatest free, fair and safe election in november. Our first covid19 Pandemic Commission was issued the very next day. We begin to hear from local officials for many of the polling places and coworkers we were depending on for the november elections backing up and as you listen to federal and state health officials, it quickly became clear we would need to modify how the administer the general election and proof to keep the el