Latest news with #StateAssembly
Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Is California Pushing for Noncitizens to Oversee Elections? What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Despite claims by Republican lawmakers, California has not made any moves to allow noncitizens to oversee elections. Why It Matters Earlier this month, AB 930, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward, passed the State Assembly. The bill aims to modernize California's election procedures, but some Republican lawmakers in California have opposed it, claiming that it would allow illegal immigrants to count state election ballots. Under California state law, only United States citizens are allowed to serve as election officers or oversee elections. The bill received a favorable vote of 59 in favor, 16 opposed, and four members not voting. What To Know AB 930 seeks to modernize and clarify aspects of the state's election procedures. One of its primary provisions extends the window for counting mail-in ballots from three days to seven days after Election Day, provided that the ballots are postmarked by Election Day. The bill also revises rules governing election recounts. It grants recount requesters more control over how recounts are conducted, including the order of ballot batches to be recounted and the method of recount, either by hand or using voting system technology. The legislation outlines clearer standards for appointing and compensating recount board members and mandates county elections offices to follow updated notice requirements. It also stipulates that, when multiple recount requests are made, if any requester opts for a paper ballot recount, that method will be used for all ballots in that race. But the main point of contention in the bill stems from its decision to replace the phrase "voters of the county" with "individuals" when outlining the criteria for those eligible to serve on recount boards. Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward speaks at a news conference in Sacramento, California, on March 12, 2024. Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward speaks at a news conference in Sacramento, California, on March 12, 2024. Trân Nguyễn/AP Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio argues that this would eliminate citizenship as a factor for appointees of recount boards. He said in the State Assembly this week: "I think most Californians would wonder how it can be a modern election if noncitizens are serving on an election board overseeing the election. That's not an insult, that's common sense." Other Republicans have adopted the same argument. Former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Burton Brink said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: "Folks, illegal immigrants counting our election ballots?? What could possibly go wrong!?!? #AB930 Must be defeated!" Conservative commentator and social media influencer Paul Szypula accused Governor Gavin Newsom of enabling noncitizen participation in elections. He called for federal defunding of California, while also demanding Newsom's arrest for "treason." But Anthony Reyes, legislative assistant to Ward, told Newsweek that it is "inaccurate" to say that AB 930 would allow undocumented immigrants to sit on recount boards. "The term 'individual' used in AB 930 refers to people who may be involved in certain election-related tasks; however, only U.S. citizens with legal work authorization can be hired for these county positions. Counties are required by law to verify employment eligibility and maintain personnel records in compliance with federal immigration laws," he said. In a letter to Ward this week, the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (CACEO) confirmed that AB 930 would not allow noncitizens to oversee elections. "AB 930 does not allow undocumented immigrants to sit on recount boards," the letter read. The letter also stated that while it's possible that documented noncitizens could be hired for other election-related roles, counties are prohibited from hiring undocumented immigrants for such positions, as all employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. "However, it is possible that separately a documented non-citizen could be hired for other election-related work," the letter said. "Counties cannot hire an undocumented immigrant for a county extra help position, as all such employees must be legally cleared to work. Additionally, counties maintain personnel records necessary to comply with federal immigration laws; however, these records are exempt from disclosure. "Moreover, if AB 930 becomes law, the people serving on a recount board tallying ballots and those supervising the recount boards would have to be a registered voter." DeMaio responded to attempts to shut down his allegations this week. "Democrats are claiming AB930 doesn't allow noncitizens to count ballots– but we have proof in plain English from bill itself. It inserts word 'individuals' where words 'voters of the county' used to be – eliminating citizenship as factor for appointees of recount boards," he wrote on X. California law generally mandates that poll workers—those assisting with the conduct of elections, including staffing polling places—must be registered voters. This requirement effectively limits poll worker eligibility to U.S. citizens and excludes most noncitizens, with a few exceptions, such as high school students serving as student poll workers under supervision. And while AB 930 inserts the word "individuals" in place of "voters of the county" for those eligible to be appointed to recount boards, theoretically broadening eligibility, federal laws, such as the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), require all employees, including those serving on recount boards, to undergo I-9 employment eligibility verification. This process confirms that workers are authorized to work in the U.S., effectively excluding undocumented immigrants. While this may permit legally authorized noncitizens (e.g., green card holders) to be considered for roles in election recount boards, undocumented immigrants are still barred from being appointed. Though some local jurisdictions in California have considered or enacted measures allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, these do not extend to overseeing or administering elections. For instance, Santa Ana voters were set to decide on a measure that would have allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections, but this pertained solely to voting rights, not election administration. In November, voters rejected the measure, with about 60 percent opposed and about 40 percent in support. Had it passed, Measure DD would have made Santa Ana the first city in California to permit noncitizen voting in all local elections. While cities like San Francisco and Oakland have approved noncitizen voting for school board elections, Santa Ana's measure aimed to extend this right to broader municipal contests. The measure faced significant opposition from local officials and conservative groups, who argued that it would be costly, lead to legal challenges, and undermine the rights of citizens. Supporters contended that noncitizens contribute to the community and deserve a voice in local governance. Despite the defeat, proponents have indicated that they will continue to advocate for expanded voting rights in the future. What People Are Saying Anthony Reyes, legislative assistant for Assemblymember Chris Ward, told Newsweek: "If AB 930 is enacted, only registered voters can serve on recount boards that are tallying ballots or supervising the process, per existing California Elections Code §12302. In other words, non-citizens—documented or undocumented—are prohibited from performing duties related to vote tallying or supervising recounts." Representative Carl DeMaio, at a State Assembly debate: "Most third-world countries have something called an election day, not an election month. We're actually on track to having an election quarter here in California because our elections actually start 30 days prior to election day through mail-in ballots. "So a month out people can vote and then of course they are able to count ballots for 30 days after an election. That's a 60 day period. What this bill does is it would allow ballots to be returned up to 7 days after election day." Conservative commentator and social media influencer Paul Szypula, on X: "California Democrats recently passed AB 930 which allows illegals to count ballots in California elections. The bill specifically says election officials can 'appoint any individual to a recount board.' Instead of deporting illegals, @GavinNewsom wants them handling elections. "Assemblyman @carldemaio spoke in opposition to AB 930. Every real American should be outraged by what California is doing. They spend countless billions luring illegals into the state, give them free housing, healthcare, and other benefits. And now even want illegals handling American votes. "This is ridiculous. The US Government needs to defund California immediately. Not a single federal dollar should go to subsidizing the illegals who continue to dominate California's landscape. Arrest Gavin Newsom while you're at it and try him for treason. He's the traitor behind all of this anti-American evil." What Happens Next Following its passage in the Assembly, AB 930 was introduced in the Senate on May 20 and subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments on May 28, where it will now be considered for a vote.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Slow and unsteady: on Manipur and an elusive peace
It has been a little over three months since President's Rule was declared in Manipur, after a disastrous spell when the State government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party's N. Biren Singh, failed to de-escalate tensions in the ongoing ethnic conflict. By all accounts, there has been a significant reduction in gun violence and arson, which had flared up sporadically since the ethnic conflagration began in May 2023. Some of the weapons that were looted from police constabularies have been returned and the militants do not seem to be roaming around with sophisticated weapons impudently as they did earlier. But that has not meant that peace has returned. The free movement of people and goods across highways and between the hills and the valley continues to be impeded. There have been no signs of any thaw in the hostility between the two communities that were at the centre of the conflict and this has meant that those displaced, and who lost their homes in the valley and the hills, are yet to return. That the peace has been fragile was seen in the way the Imphal valley convulsed in protests following a recent incident during the run-up to the Shirui Lily festival, in Ukhrul district in late May. When a State transport bus with journalists drove close to Kuki-Zo inhabited areas, some security personnel placed stickers on the bus to hide the name of the State – an act that riled civil society groups in the valley. Ostensibly, this was done to allow for their safe passage through the Kuki-Zo areas but it only antagonised groups in the valley who saw this as an act of kowtowing to demands for a 'separate administration', one of the key demands of the Kuki-Zo community representatives. Apparently, some of the latter's partisans had opposed transport services through their areas but stepped back after a stern stance by the organisers of the festival. It is understandable that the Union government has to walk a tightrope in Manipur, and that explains the relatively slow pace of a return to 'true normalcy'. But the government must take strong steps in disarming insurgent and chauvinist groups who continue to hold sway in the valley and the hills. It should also send out a message that these sections will not represent the respective communities in the peace and political initiatives that are needed to resolve the conflict. The distrust of state institutions has led to ethnic partisans setting the discourse. In order to reverse this situation, a stronger commitment to implementing the rule of law, while focusing on rehabilitating the victims of the conflict, is the need of the hour. Meanwhile, there have been calls for the restoration of the State Assembly, with some MLAs claiming majority support for a fresh iteration of an NDA government. This step should only be considered if there is some consensus on steps to be taken towards normalcy among the elected representatives of the respective communities and civil society actors.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
PM Modi holds roadshow in Patna before meeting party leaders at BJP headquarters
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (May 29, 2025) held a roadshow in Patna and later met party leaders and workers at state BJP headquarters in view of the upcoming Assembly elections, which are due in October-November later this year. This was PM Modi's third visit to Bihar in the last five months, since January 2025. Earlier, before setting off on his roadshow, PM Modi inaugurated the new integrated terminal building of Patna airport and Bihta civil airport, about 30 kms from Patna. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and all top state BJP leaders were present at the Patna airport to welcome PM Modi. Also read: PM's 4-state visit highlights on May 29, 2025 During his nearly 6-km long roadshow, PM Modi's convoy was showered with flower petals and the gathered crowd chanted 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' seeing his convoy passing from there. However, unlike his last roadshow in Patna held in May 2024, PM Modi didn't come over his vehicle this time and kept waving from inside the vehicle towards gathered people flanking both sides of the road en route to the roadshow. Mostly women and youth holding tricolours and posters of PM Modi in hand had come to 'see' him in the sweltering summer heat, waiting for his arrival for hours. The six-km roadshow took nearly two hours for PM Modi's slow-moving convoy to reach BJP's state headquarters. Posters depicting 'Operation Sindoor' and PM Modi were prominently displayed en route to the roadshow. PM Modi is likely to visit the State again on June 20, though, said the state BJP leaders, the venue has not been decided yet. Later, he reached the party's state headquarters at Beerchand Patel Road and held a meeting with BJP leaders and workers in view of the upcoming State Assembly elections, which are due in October-November this year. Mr Modi will address a public meeting at Bikramganj in Rohtas district on May 30, where he is also expected to announce a ₹50 thousand crore project for the development of the state. PM Modi is scheduled to make an overnight stay at Raj Bhawan in Patna. 'PM Modi's roadshow was a historic moment for all of us and it was a huge success where over a lakh people had gathered on both sides of the road to welcome their leader,' said young party MLA and Urban Development and Housing Minister in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led cabinet Nitin Nabin, who has been made in charge of the roadshow in Patna. Earlier, PM Modi had visited the state in February and April and on May 4 recently this month, he had inaugurated the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna through video conferencing. 'He (PM Modi) will be addressing a huge public rally tomorrow (May 30, 2025) at Bikramganj in Rohtas district, where, said former state party president and party MP Sanjay Jaiswal, who has been monitoring the PM's rally there, 'over 5 lakh people are expected to come'. People from neighbouring Bhojpur and Buxar districts too are expected to visit the PM's rally at Bikramganj.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mamdani closes gap with Cuomo in NYC mayor's race: Poll
State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani (D) has surged into a clear second place in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, though he still trails former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), a new poll found. The Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey showed Cuomo leading in the first round of the ranked-choice vote system that New York City employs, receiving 35 percent of the vote. Mamdani was about 12 points behind with 23 percent. That's in line with other polls since before Cuomo even entered that have shown the former governor with clear, double-digit leads over the rest of the field. But it's considerably closer than the last Emerson poll of the race from late March in which Cuomo was at 38 percent and Mamdani was the closest behind him with 10 percent. It's also closer than a Siena College poll from April in which Cuomo led by 24 points in the first round and a Marist University poll from earlier this month in which Cuomo was up 22 points in the first round. In the Emerson poll released Wednesday, City Comptroller Brad Lander came in third in the first round with 10.5 percent, followed by former Comptroller Scott Stringer with 9 percent and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams with 8 percent. Cuomo maintains a double-digit lead in almost every round as the lowest performing candidate is eliminated and their votes are reallocated to their voters' next preference. Cuomo eventually won in the poll in the 10th round over Mamdani, 54.4 percent to 45.6 percent. But the results show some reasons for hope for Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidate who is seeking to be the main progressive alternative to Cuomo. 'Cuomo has led in the polls since early 2025, but Mamdani has surged, gaining 23 points and winning second-choice votes nearly 2-to-1, cutting Cuomo's ranked-choice lead from 12 points to 9 points,' Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a release. 'With four weeks to go, the question is whether Cuomo can run out the clock, or if he needs to win over second-choice voters to hold off Mamdani's momentum.' Pollsters found Mamdani's strongest base of support comes from voters under 50, 61 percent of which supported him in the final round. He leads among white voters with 57 percent and college-educated voters with 58 percent. Cuomo's lead in the final round was powered by the three-quarters of Black voters, two thirds of voters older than 50 and 58 percent of women who backed him. Despite Cuomo's advantage, the poll still showed him with an underwater favorability rating, with 41 percent of New York City voters viewing him favorably and 46 percent viewing him unfavorably. Still, both Cuomo and Mamdani have clear leads in a hypothetical general election match-up in the solidly Democratic-leaning city. Mayor Eric Adams, embattled by political and legal controversies, is running for reelection as an independent, while Curtis Sliwa, the 2021 GOP nominee, is likely to be the Republican nominee again. Cuomo leads in the general election with 44 percent to Sliwa's 13 percent, Adams's 10 percent and independent Jim Walden's 7 percent. Mamdani also has a solid lead but by a somewhat smaller margin, 35 percent to 16 percent for Sliwa, 15 percent for Adams and 6 percent for Walden. The poll was conducted May 23-26 among 1,000 registered voters, including 606 Democratic primary voters. The credibility interval, similar to margin of error, for the entire sample was 3 points and for the Democratic primary was 3.9 points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Mamdani closes gap with Cuomo in NYC mayor's race: Poll
State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani (D) has surged into a clear second place in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, though he still trails former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), a new poll found. The Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey showed Cuomo leading in the first round of the ranked-choice vote system that New York City employs, receiving 35 percent of the vote. Mamdani is about 12 points behind with 23 percent. That's in line with other polls since before Cuomo even entered that have shown the former governor with clear, double-digit leads over the rest of the field. But it's considerably closer than the last Emerson poll of the race from late March in which Cuomo was at 38 percent and Mamdani was the closest behind him with 10 percent. It's also closer than a Siena College poll from April in which Cuomo led by 24 points in the first round and a Marist University poll from earlier this month in which Cuomo was up 22 points in the first round. In the Emerson poll released Wednesday, City Comptroller Brad Lander came in third in the first round with 10.5 percent, followed by former Comptroller Scott Stringer with 9 percent and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams with 8 percent. Cuomo maintains a double-digit lead in almost every round as the lowest performing candidate is eliminated and their votes are reallocated to their voters' next preference. Cuomo eventually wins in the poll in the 10th round over Mamdani, 54.4 percent to 45.6 percent. But the results show some reasons for hope for Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America-endorsed candidate who is seeking to be the main progressive alternative to Cuomo. 'Cuomo has led in the polls since early 2025, but Mamdani has surged, gaining 23 points and winning second-choice votes nearly 2-to-1, cutting Cuomo's ranked-choice lead from 12 points to 9 points,' Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, said in a release. 'With four weeks to go, the question is whether Cuomo can run out the clock, or if he needs to win over second-choice voters to hold off Mamdani's momentum.' Pollsters found Mamdani's strongest base of support comes from voters under 50, 61 percent of which support him in the final round. He leads among white voters with 57 percent and college-educated voters with 58 percent. Cuomo's lead in the final round is powered by the three-quarters of Black voters, two thirds of voters over 50 and 58 percent of women who back him. Despite Cuomo's advantage, the poll still showed him with an underwater favorability rating, with 41 percent of New York City voters viewing him favorably and 46 percent viewing him unfavorably. Still, both Cuomo and Mamdani have clear leads in a hypothetical general election matchup in the solidly Democratic-leaning city. Mayor Eric Adams, embattled by political and legal controversies, is running for reelection as an independent, while Curtis Sliwa, the 2021 GOP nominee, is likely to be the Republican nominee again. Cuomo leads in the general election with 44 percent to Sliwa's 13 percent, Adams's 10 percent and independent Jim Walden's 7 percent. Mamdani also has a solid lead but by a somewhat smaller margin, 35 percent to 16 percent for Sliwa, 15 percent for Adams and 6 percent for Walden. The poll was conducted from May 23 to 26 among 1,000 registered voters, including 606 Democratic primary voters. The credibility interval, similar to margin of error, for the entire sample was 3 points and for the Democratic primary was 3.9 points.
