Secretary of State Candidate Statements

  • As the state's chief elections officer, oversees statewide elections and provides public access to campaign and lobbying financial information.
  • Maintains certain business filings, authenticates trademarks, regulates notaries public, and enables secured creditors to protect their financial interests.
  • Preserves California's history by acquiring, safeguarding, and sharing the state’s historical treasures.
Donald P. (Don) Wagner

Donald P. (Don) Wagner | REPUBLICAN

As Secretary of State, I will restore Californians' trust in our election system and protect every eligible voter's fundamental American right to participate in our democracy. California's election system is broken. Thirty-six states and most democratic nations require voters to establish their identities at the polls. California does not. Election security is so weak at least one dog was registered to vote in California—and had its vote counted! While other large states can finish vote counts and announce results on Election Night, California takes 30 excruciating days. We are usually the last state in the country to stop counting and report final results. That's embarrassing and unacceptable. You deserve an excellent election system that is secure, efficient, accurate, and accessible to eligible voters only. As Secretary of State, I will work to institute common-sense reforms including: 1) Require Voter ID at the polls; 2) Require mail ballots to be returned by Election Day; 3) Prohibit “ballot harvesting” by paid canvassers. The Secretary of State also has a role in fixing California's business climate. The office must be modernized and made business friendly. As Secretary of State, I will fight against bad business policies that make California unaffordable and drive away our families, friends, and employers. I have the experience to deliver. I have served as a member of the California Legislature, Mayor of lrvine, Orange County Supervisor, and owned my own business. I pledge to protect your vote as Secretary of State. Learn more at WagnerforCalifornia.com.

4100 MacArthur Blvd., Ste. 310
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Tel: (714) 785-5949
E-mail: donwagner@WagnerForCalifornia.com
WagnerForCalifornia.com

Shirley N. Weber

Shirley N. Weber | DEMOCRATIC

I will never give up on protecting your voting rights. We are not in normal times. We need strong leaders to stand up and fight for what is right and just. I was born in the Jim Crow south to sharecroppers who couldn't vote. California welcomed us with open arms and has been my home ever since. My parents cast their first votes here and even used our family living room as a polling place. America is the only country in the world where within one generation a family can go from Jim Crow disenfranchisement, to administering elections in the largest state in the nation. We've come so far, and I've seen it firsthand. However, there are people that want to roll back that progress. They want shorter polling hours, fewer days to vote and the removal of vote-by-mail ballots. Some of them have even threatened the lives of election officials when their preferred candidate loses. This behavior will not be tolerated in California. As Secretary of State, 28 statewide and special elections were successfully held. When our voting rights were under attack, I fought for us in the courts, and won. I've been a transparent leader because trust is everything. Every eligible Californian should register to vote and cast their ballot whether we agree politically or not. I will continue to fight to make sure that nothing stands between you and the ballot box. Vote Dr. Shirley N. Weber for Secretary of State. Visit www.DrShirleyWeber.com to learn more.

E-mail: info@drshirleyweber.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ShirleyWeber4SOS
X: x.com/drweber4ca

Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein | GREEN

California is a beautiful, richly diverse blend of people, ideas and perspectives. We're best when all are heard and represented. Everyone deserves a seat at the table of our democracy. A vote for former Santa Monica mayor Michael Feinstein is a vote for a Democracy Bill of Rights: (1) Ranked Choice Voting. Empower voters with more voice over more candidates, positive campaigning, and coalition-building. (2) Multi-Party Democracy. Instead of our existing ‘lesser-of-evils', winner-take-all system—enact proportional representation elections—where like-minded voters receive representation in proportion to their numbers, and all voters can help elect candidates who truly represent their views. Multiple perspectives win representation from the same district. We gain from the wisdom of our diversity. (3) Campaign Finance Reform. Stop the corrupting influence of Big Money, ensure full disclosure. Reduce the cost of running for office, and ensure all voters have information needed to make informed decisions. Provide free candidate statements in official voter guides, and use our public airwaves to inform voters about all electoral choices. Provide candidates with a broad, grassroots base of clean money support. Match small donor contributions with public funds. Empower residents with democracy vouchers to fund candidates. Our democracy is worth it. (4) Election Integrity. All votes must be counted—and all votes must count. Promote transparency, accuracy and trustworthiness with publicly-owned, open-source voting equipment, paper ballots, and meaningful audits. (5) Ensure Voting Rights for all. Universal voter registration. Expand language access. Make it easier to vote by declaring election days state holidays.

PO Box 5605
Santa Monica, CA 90409
Tel: (310) 392-8450
E-mail: info@feinstein4sos.org
X: www.twitter.com/feinstein4sos

Gary N. Blenner

Gary N. Blenner | GREEN

Tired of government that only listens to wealthy interests rather than working people? The answer is to fix our election system and expand democracy. Proportional Representation. Ranked Choice Voting. Public financing of campaigns. End corporate personhood. Vote for the Left Unity Slate on June 2nd! blenner4sos.org

4540 American River Drive
Sacramento, CA 95864
E-mail: blenner4sos@gmail.com
Facebook: Gary Blenner For California Secretary of State

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The views and opinions expressed by the candidates are their own and do not represent the views and opinions of the Secretary of State's office. The order of the statements was determined by randomized drawing. Statements on this page were supplied by the candidates and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency. Each statement was voluntarily submitted and paid for by the candidate. Candidates who did not submit statements could otherwise be qualified to appear on the ballot.