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

Amid troubling pattern of violence by ICE and CBP officers, federal law provides no statutory right to sue federal law enforcement for violating constitutional rights WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Trump Administration conducts widespread and indiscriminate immigration enforcement operations in...
Padilla highlights new violations of federal records laws in Republican redistricting pushes, including in Indiana Indiana State Senator on White House redistricting push: “[T]he underling who reached out to me is trying to influence the election on my dime. …...
Senators to EAC Commissioner McCormick: “If you do not disavow these comments immediately, we urge you to resign your position to protect the integrity of the Commission and its important nonpartisan work.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla...
Amid troubling pattern of violence by ICE and CBP officers, federal law provides no statutory right to sue federal law enforcement for violating constitutional rights WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Trump Administration conducts widespread and indiscriminate immigration enforcement operations in...
Padilla highlights new violations of federal records laws in Republican redistricting pushes, including in Indiana Indiana State Senator on White House redistricting push: “[T]he underling who reached out to me is trying to influence the election on my dime. …...
Senators to EAC Commissioner McCormick: “If you do not disavow these comments immediately, we urge you to resign your position to protect the integrity of the Commission and its important nonpartisan work.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, slammed the Department of Justice’s (the Department or DOJ)...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A day after Democrats’ landslide state electoral victories across the country, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and California’s former Secretary of State, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) held...
Senators: “This deployment is clearly linked to President Trump’s continued perpetuation of lies relating to alleged fraud in our elections and his opposition to California’s Proposition 50.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate...
Senators: Kurt Olsen’s appointment seems “to be part of a scheme to convince the President to attempt a national emergency declaration to illegally claim unconstitutional federal powers over state and local election administration.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex...
Senators argue that DHS’ creation of a massive voter information database without congressional notification violates Privacy Act WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking...
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, and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio-03) hosted a virtual press call to announce new bicameral legislation...
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 condemning the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) decision to file...