Five minutes. When is his need to unmute themselves when recognized for their five minutes or ask a question. Please keep your camera on at all times even if you need to step away for a moment during proceedings. Do not leave the meeting. As we begin, we should take a moment to honor an important anniversary in our nations history. Fiftyseven years ago today, hundreds of self thousands of americans came to our Nations Capital for the march on washington, the job and freedom. Our hero, late representative, john lewis from the Lincoln Memorial that day. He fearlessly challenged our countrys denial of freedom and civil rights to black americans including the right to vote. Within 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 income 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 fiscal 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 59000 americans have lost their lives to the disease. This crisis has devastated many families and disrupted our way of life. The violence 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 both safely vote during this pandemic. National 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 Voting Assistance act in 1965. References to civilian mail voting date back to the late 1800s. This year, many states have changed procedures to make voting safer, public voting perspective. Some voters can vote from home. A note excuse vote by mail state or where fear of covid counts as a valid excuse this fall. Other americans can choose to vote early in prison from 42 states provided. Early in person voting helps keep polling places less crowd 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. Making this possible, 105 days ago and the heroes act, including 3. 6 billion in funding. Refusing 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, popular institutions enshrined in our constitution. Earlier this month, President Trump said out loud, he explicitly stated he opposes funding the Postal Service because the Postal Service facilitates voting by mail. Meanwhile, the trump reported postmaster general 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 announced some policy changes would be paused until after the election. This reckless management of the Postal Services close scrutiny and continued accountability. 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 will require the Postal Service to treat all election mail as has been practiced for years. It will provide the 25 billion in muchneeded funding, each governor appointed by President Trump or has requested. Still, the president continues to spread disinformation 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 bow, register to vote or confirm registration and update if necessary. Do it as soon as possible. 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. If youre healthy and able, consider signing up to work as a pulled volunteer by going to help america vote. Gov. Many jurisdictions scrambled at the last minute to find coal workers this summer, you can do your part by considering this public service. I look forward to the testimony today but i want to recognize first the Ranking Member, mr. Davis for Opening Statements he wish to make the understand he wishes to show a video of less than two minutes as part of the Opening Statements. Thank you for recognizing our colleague, john lewis. 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, i cant unseat or on here because its this unnecessary frederick 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] america its haunted our nation. White supremacy does not endorse on its own. It is surprising black voices and votes. Three fifths compromise and voter id. White supremacy isnt just a classic ideology, its a strategy to hold power. Its no surprise donald trump thinks of the strategy in 2020. Democratic secretaries of state sure every eligible american in both 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 america thats truly equal. Thank you, madam chair. White supremacy doesnt have any place in our election with the top brother right now that led to many situations that im afraid i dont want to see happen to anyone in this country. Recent analysis by npr, half million ballots rejected in the 2020 primers. Studies also show voters of color are more likely than others to help ballot not count. In california alone, 102,000 ballots rejected. 84000 in the dark 22000 wisconsin. These are democrat states. 28 million mail in ballots went missing according to the ea c. Democrats in this house and across the country continue to push implementing universal vote by mail before the november election is over 60 days away. During the 2020 primers, 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. Atlanta, voters were upwards of five hours of waiting. 180 five 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. Ensuring every american can cast a vote. Im afraid the policy is being pushed by democrats are unintentionally taking us backwards. We see these issues during recent primaries because i am concerned most changes are made, voters will be disenfranchised this fall. Most of these are democrat controlled areas. Im concerned about broad. Not because i want to suppress votes but i want every vote to count. The american to have the confidence we have to vote. Racist or white supremacist, im incredibly disappointed the insinuate that. This is the kind of rhetoric that led to violence that ive previously witnessed. No one should stand for that. Lets discuss differences in Common Ground to empower states and localities to help everyone safely and securely vote this fall. I will introduce them in turn, first we have secretary alex padilla, the california secretary of state. Increasing Voter Registration and participation in Voting Rights. In 2018, he launched the California Program that automatically registered eligible californians to vote may obtain and relieve state id or drivers license. Registered 1 million new voters this year alone. In march 2019, california reaching record high 70 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 implement save day Voter Registration. 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 elected head, two things besides being in the state senate, being a husband and father, was being chair of the mit alumni. Welcome to you. We also have julie, the director of elections in washington. Since november 2015. The 13th largest county in the nation, 1. 3 million registered voters managing daytoday operations of elections. Washington state certified election administrator, ashley certified election registration, recognizing both sides of the nationalist a significant reform and Innovative Solutions for new barriers and increase access while ensuring access for security and transparency. Shes added to languages, allowing voters overall. Chinese korean, spanish and vietnamese. In 2018, she worked with the Council Executive in providing prepaid postage for all registered voters in the county. We also have ms. Amber reynolds, ceo national coalition. Co author of when women vote and former director of elections for the city and county of denver, colorado. Shes experiencing election professional and nationally recognized as an innovator in designing voter policies. Implementing Technical Innovations and improve the boating experience. Denver elections for national and International Recognition for the u. S. Election assistance election. National association of counties and international studies. Additional petition circulation applications that makes ballot process more efficient. She was recognized in 2018 is top public official of the year by governing magazine for her work to improve the boating 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 mit election data and science labs and other organizations. Masters of science in the London School of economics and Political Science and a bachelors of arts. Also like to recognize, thank you so much for being here. President and ceo of the Leadership Conference on civil rights. Shes 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, 5 president barack obama is 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 cute individuals, ensuring Voting Rights for all and combating discrimination in education housing, lending and religious exercise. Joining the justice department, discussing 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 cum laude in the Keio University and received her law degree in the New York University school of law where she had civil rights litigation at the clinic for several years. We welcome your finally finales, commissioner was the ea c in 2019, a former bipartisan policy scholar, divided testimony to state legislature on Election Year in voting reform. Appointed secretary of the virginia board of election by governor Bob Mcdonnell in 2011 and the commonwealth chief election officer until 2014. He served as the Florida Department of state elector of elections. 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 Officer in general and he was awarded the navys service model, and accommodation metal. 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. Will return to you, secretary padilla. Thank you for being here. Thank you 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. Covid19 pandemic election disinformation. California health, primary of this year. Should 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, he quickly became clear we would need to modify how the administer the general election and proof to keep the election accessible, secure and safe. California voters will not have to choose between exercising the right to vote and protecting their health. While maintaining safe and present voting options for voters who need it. Californias vote by mail has grown from 25 20 years ago to 72 in this years primary. My office can gain stakeholders to identify these challenges and develop solutions. I recommend a plan adopted by the government and state legislature including the following. Every active registered voter of foot by mail ballot. Expanding tools statewide, voters can sign up to receive notification by email, text message or phone call on the status of the balance due to Postal Service on its way back to the county including of final alert when their ballot has been received and when the ballot has been counted. 600,000 california voters have already signed up. We are expanding three policies to 17 and we set alternatives minimum in person voting for counties that are struggling to maintain the prepandemic numbers of in person voting locations. Counties may have one location for every 10000 registered voters but they must be open for minimum of four days leading up too and including election day. These counties will provide a minimum of 1000 drop off locations for every 15000 registered voters starting 28 days before election day. We are listening to Public Health officials for health and safety guidelines for in person voting locations. These measures require resources. Thanks to the recent appropriations and significant state appropriations, california is in an okay position. Other states cant say the same. Many states have not received state funding and many states that have held their primary election during this pandemic have expended most, if not all of the cares act fund so i respectfully urge you to appropriate funding for elections as soon as possible. Giller thing is election disinformation. Based on the integrity of our elections pose a serious danger to the health of our citizens and democracy. Disinformation amplifies and initiated by President Trump vote by mail, ballot drop boxes and undermined public. Decisions found voter fraud is rare and isolates. To quote the judge, Julie Robinson of kansas, there are no cases of voter fraud at the tip of the iceberg, there are no icebergs. Only icicles. Earlier this week, the f