SACRAMENTO – The California Republican Party has filed in Sacramento Superior Court asking Governor Newsom to prohibit ballot harvesting ahead of the May 12 Special Elections in Congressional District 25 and State Senate District 28.
“Governor Gavin Newsom has yet to make clear that ballot harvesting stands in direct conflict with the social distancing guidelines he claims to support,” said California Republican Party Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson. “The governor’s stay-at-home order clearly prohibits ballot harvesting, and we are asking him to break his silence and prohibit the practice ahead of California’s Special Elections.
“Governor Newsom has told Californians that they can’t open their businesses, their kids can’t go to school, and they can’t attend family events including weddings and funerals. If we can’t see our mothers on Mother’s Day, then strangers shouldn’t be visiting our homes to collect ballots. He must stop dodging this issue. His silence is irresponsible and is putting Californians’ lives at risk – and without direction from the Democrats in office, we need the courts to weigh in,” concluded Patterson.
BACKGROUND
- On March 19, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “Stay-at-Home Order” directing all California residents to shelter in place unless they were essential workers.
- As Californians look to participate in the upcoming special elections on May 12, the California GOP is now demanding Gov. Newsom make clear that his order prohibits ballot harvesting, which involves a stranger visiting a voter’s home and returning that voter’s ballot to the election officials.
- Strangers should not be going to voters’ homes to collect ballots, as it is a threat to the health and wellbeing of Californians and could increase the spread of COVID-19.
- Despite receiving a letter from the California GOP demanding answers weeks ago, Governor Newsom has been dodging the issue and putting Californians’ lives at risk.
On the Facebook page of GOP Congressional candidate for the 45th district, supporters of Mission Viejo Greg Raths claimed that ballot harvesting is the reason Rep. Katie Porter won in 2018.
Ballot harvesting is not legal in most states, including blue states, because of the potential for voter fraud. This policy should never have been enacted in California in the first place. Now with social distancing laws enacted, this is even more impetus to stop this practice.