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

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, pressed senior officials at...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his unprecedented and illegal firing of Federal...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, issued the following statement after President Trump moved to fire Ellen Weintraub, the chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission: “President Trump’s...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, and U.S. Representative Joe Morelle (N.Y.-25), Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, pressed senior officials at...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind his unprecedented and illegal firing of Federal...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, issued the following statement after President Trump moved to fire Ellen Weintraub, the chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission: “President Trump’s...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced a Senate Resolution to declare racism a public health crisis. The resolution calls on Congress to establish a nationwide strategy to address health...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) questioned Kash Patel, nominee for Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Padilla raised serious concerns about Patel’s fitness to lead the FBI independently,...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) questioned U.S. Attorney General nominee Pamela Jo Bondi during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Bondi was one of the leading defense lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the four-year anniversary of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections, issued the following statement...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) released the following statement after he was elected to serve as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration: “I am honored to serve as Ranking Member of the...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that the House of Representatives unanimously passed their legislation to transition 10 temporary federal judgeships — including...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and California’s former Secretary of State, and Representative Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.-17) joined election security advocates to introduce bicameral legislation to protect voters...