Planning to Vote By Mail This November? What Californians Need to Know

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 2 April 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that aims to place federal restrictions on voting by mail ahead of this fall’s midterm elections. It comes as Congress considers legislation that could dramatically change voting in the U.S. and the Supreme Court appears ready to back additional vote-by-mail limits. We talk with elections experts about potential challenges to the new executive order and how California is navigating the potential changes. Guests: Kim Alexander, president and founder, California Voter Foundation Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State Madison Aument, reporter, KVCR Marc Berman, California State Assemblymember representing the 23rd District, which includes southern San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:34.6	From KQED.
0:38.9	This is Forum.
0:40.9	I'm Guy Marzarati in from Mina Kim.
0:46.5	Nearly 90% of California voters cast a vote-by-mail ballot this past November, but the system faces new threats from the White House and from some local officials in California.
0:53.6	In Washington, President Donald Trump is
0:55.3	continuing his crusade against vote by mail, driven by his unfounded claims of, quote,
1:00.6	massive cheating with mail ballots. This week, Trump directed the U.S. Postal Service to oversee
1:06.4	the administration of vote by mail and executive order already drawing legal challenges.
1:12.3	We're going to dive into all this, this hour joining us first to discuss is California's
1:17.1	top elections official, Dr. Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State.
1:21.7	Secretary Weber, thank you so much for joining us.
1:24.4	Well, thank you for the invitation.
1:25.9	Always happy to talk with the folks and let them know exactly what's going on from our point
1:30.8	of view and the threats that are being levied against us with regards to opportunities for
1:36.5	our citizens to vote.
1:37.7	Yeah, so let's start with that executive order that Trump issued this week.
1:42.1	It directs DHS and the states to create these lists of
	...

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