Dear Community Leader,

 

You are invited to an important community meeting regarding Los Angeles County’s entirely new voting system, this Saturday, November 2, 2019, 1pm at El Camino College. (See address below.)

 

As a part of our “For the People” agenda, my democratic colleagues and I in the Congress are focused on protecting voting rights, improving access to the ballot box, and ensuring the security of all U.S. elections.  As you may or may not be aware, the County of Los Angeles is instituting a completely new voting system next year for the March primary and the November general elections.  Replacing the approximately 5000 traditional neighborhood polling places, there will be between 754 and 1000 new “voting centers” spread throughout the County where citizens can go to vote over an 11-day period, ending on the traditional “Election Day.”  The machines that voters will use are completely new, utilizing high-tech, touch screen equipment.  Registered voters will still have the ability to vote by mail.

 

Based upon feedback I have received from community stakeholders who have some awareness of this new polling system, there are considerable concerns about the new voting system’s implementation next year.   Some worry that it could reduce overall voter participation due to confusion and distress over the new technology.  The concerns also range from fears that the locations of the “voting centers” will be beyond the reach of certain communities to whether untested technology in our local elections will accurately count all votes if there are mishaps or disruptions.  In light of these concerns, I have asked Los Angeles County’s Registrar of Voters/County Clerk, Mr. Dean Logan to attend meetings with community leaders from throughout Los Angeles as part of his planned education/outreach program.

 

I am holding these meetings to insure that Mr. Logan hears from a broad cross section of constituents about their concerns.  He has agreed to demonstrate the new technology, explain how and where it will be used, and address the concerns of stakeholders.  It is imperative that as a community leader who has your own constituency and relationships with neighbors and organizations, you attend one of these meetings to interact with Mr. Logan and become fully informed as to how this new system will work.  With threats of foreign interference and voter suppression, I can think of nothing more critical than our citizenry being fully informed and secure with our voting systems.  It is important for you to completely understand the County’s new system and share the knowledge with your neighbors.  I am depending on you to assist me and other leaders with the educational outreach necessary to penetrate our communities with information about this new voting system.  We must work to ensure no voter is discouraged from participating due to a lack of knowledge and confidence in Los Angeles County’s new voting system.

 

The first of these important meetings will be:

 

This Saturday, November 2, 2019    1pm – 3pm            El Camino College

East Dining Room 

16007 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90506          

RSVP to hamilton.cloud [at] mail.house.gov or by calling my District Office at 323-757-8900.

 

Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Maxine Waters

Member of Congress

 

Hamilton Cloud

Special Projects Director

Office of Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA43)

10124 S. Broadway

Suite 1

Los Angeles, CA 90003

323-757-8900 X 203

323-757-9506 FAX