Stern-backed VoteSure initiative launches

Senator Henry Stern (front) talks about Senate Bill 702 beside Assembly members Monique Limon, Todd Gloria and Laura Friedman. Courtesy of Senate Photographer Lorie Shelley.
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A public education campaign to increase voter awareness about election misinformation launched Monday.

Championed by Sen. Henry Stern, D-Canoga Park, the campaign launched its web portal VoteSure.sos.ca.gov, which consolidates voter resources for the general election.

“With our new VoteSure initiative, we are reminding California voters that for reliable, official, nonpartisan information about the general election, they should go directly to the source: the secretary of state’s website or their local county elections office,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

Stern, chair of the Senate Elections committee in the California Legislature, said the initiative is important to ensuring Californians can protect against misinformation.

The senator championed funding for the new campaign and also pushed for the recently established Office of Elections Cybersecurity in June through the passing of the fiscal year 2018-19 budget.

Stern-backed provisions in the budget also included creation of a new cybersecurity website, Cybersecurity.sos.ca.gov, to inform the public about efforts being taken to protect elections.

“Cyberattacks and misinformation-based warfare continue today,” he said. “California voters deserve secure elections and credible information leading into November, and they should vote with confidence this year knowing those intentionally spreading misinformation can be prosecuted criminally.”

The VoteSure.sos.ca.gov portal includes links to help voters look up their voter registration status, find their polling place and early voting opportunities, and learn about their rights as voters.

As part of the VoteSure initiative, voters who included an email address with their voter registration will receive email communications and resource information directly from the secretary of state’s office. Voters can also report suspicious content on social media that may be spreading election misinformation.

The VoteSure campaign will run through Election Day with paid advertisements on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

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