Voting and Civil Rights

Alex believes that our democracy is strongest when every eligible American participates. That’s why he’s spent his career fighting to expand and preserve voting rights. While serving as California’s Secretary of State, Alex implemented automatic and same-day voter registration, expanded vote-by-mail, and launched early vote centers. These key reforms led to record voter registration and participation in California and have become a model for the rest of the nation.  In the U.S. Senate, Alex is a champion for stronger voting rights, bipartisan election administration reforms, and increased funding to modernize and secure our elections.

And because Alex believes in an America made stronger by its diversity, he’s consistently fought to protect the civil rights of all Americans. In the face of an alarming rise in hate crimes over the last few years, Alex cosponsored legislation, later signed into law by President Biden, to address the rise in hate crimes and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because Americans of every race, faith, and belief deserve to be treated with dignity.

Recent News

Lawmakers demand copy of CISA’s review of its election security work after insufficient responses, blown deadlines to multiple letters regarding CISA firings and termination of election security efforts WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act to build a new Smithsonian museum on the National Mall that recognizes the accomplishments of Latinos. This follows...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives narrowly passed Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter...
Lawmakers demand copy of CISA’s review of its election security work after insufficient responses, blown deadlines to multiple letters regarding CISA firings and termination of election security efforts WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act to build a new Smithsonian museum on the National Mall that recognizes the accomplishments of Latinos. This follows...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, issued the following statement after the House of Representatives narrowly passed Republicans’ Safeguard American Voter...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, highlighted the growing chorus of Secretaries of State and other key election officials who have...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, warned Secretaries of State, Lieutenant Governors, and Chief Election Officials across the country of the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, led 11 Senators in introducing the Defending America’s Future Elections Act to repeal President Trump’s...
Senators to Trump: “Requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters…places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator...
“This is an Administration who can’t keep a simple text message chain straightforward…and now they’re going to dictate voter registration and elections in states across the country? I don’t think so.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — During an interview today with MSNBC’s José...
Senators to Attorney General: “In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on [DOJ] to uphold the law” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member...
Lawmakers’ letter follows lack of response to letter about the firings of CISA employees who worked on election security WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle...