{"id":831,"date":"2026-08-14T22:15:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T22:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/?p=831"},"modified":"2026-08-14T22:21:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T22:21:58","slug":"should-californias-secretary-of-state-be-nonpartisan-gop-lawmakers-make-push","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/?p=831","title":{"rendered":"Should California\u2019s secretary of state be nonpartisan? GOP lawmakers make push"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"brz brz-root__container brz-reset-all brz-root__container-page\" >\n<section id=\"a6caac2effa55f771042_qHbXRM_Pmsc1\" class=\"brz-section brz-css-injpgu brz-css-1llo2r\">\n<div class=\"brz-section__content brz-section--boxed brz-css-5ygev0 brz-css-2gns2\" data-brz-custom-id=\"tB597wnM5tE_\">\n<div class=\"brz-container brz-css-tynn56 brz-css-1a77jbv\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"brz-css-bhtcym brz-css-1xtgttz brz-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"brz-wp-title brz-css-10yl96o brz-css-1y88125\" data-brz-custom-id=\"kfXrOQIBXeHN\"><span class=\"brz-wp-title-content\" style=\"min-height:20px\">Should California\u2019s secretary of state be nonpartisan? GOP lawmakers make push<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"brz-css-bhtcym brz-css-1kvpzr brz-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"brz-rich-text brz-rich-text__custom brz-css-kemslt brz-css-o4ejsp\" data-brz-custom-id=\"aYTTCzlFF1J0\">\n<div data-brz-translate-text=\"1\">\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-ddrh6\" data-uniq-id=\"qwhkO\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-eGS8q\"><strong class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">SACRAMENTO, CA &#8211; &#8211;&nbsp;<\/strong><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">California\u2019s secretary of state would be a nonpartisan position under a new proposal put forward by Republican Assembly members, who say the change is needed to restore faith in the state\u2019s elections. \u201cElections only work if people who vote in them can trust the process and right now that trust is at an all-time low,\u201d said Assemblymember Natasha Johnson, R-Lake Elsinore, who co-introduced the measure, at a news conference Thursday morning. \u201cRestoring that trust is a multifactor process, but one thing is very clear: allowing partisan offices to oversee our elections is a recipe for disaster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-fIhKM\" data-uniq-id=\"rvaF2\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-u_3vl\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-ah_OJ\" data-uniq-id=\"z5SBB\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-jaQYJ\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">\u201cElections only work if people who vote in them can trust the process and right now that trust is at an all-time low,\u201d said Assemblymember Natasha Johnson, R-Lake Elsinore, who co-introduced the measure, at a news conference Thursday morning. \u201cRestoring that trust is a multifactor process, but one thing is very clear: allowing partisan offices to oversee our elections is a recipe for disaster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-yDKDV\" data-uniq-id=\"dNeTj\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-ibAXb\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-kiaWI\" data-uniq-id=\"zSUVH\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-tLYsP\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">The measure, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 23, comes as trust in elections nationally has dropped in recent years, particularly among Republicans. Much of that is driven by President Donald Trump who just this year alleged that California Democrats rigged the June primary in their favor due the lengthy time it takes the state to count ballots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-usZCD\" data-uniq-id=\"sIxWT\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-nwqlB\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-nAJCC\" data-uniq-id=\"e77bl\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-jTXZ7\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">The amendment faces tough odds of passing the Legislature because it needs the support of at least two-thirds of members in both the Assembly and the Senate, before Sept. 1. Few, if any, Democrats appear likely to back it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-elS3U\" data-uniq-id=\"uNAMv\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-a7QBD\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-a7Udx\" data-uniq-id=\"v0Asa\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-o3oXb\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">If it did gain enough legislative support, it would then go before voters in a future election. \u201cWe\u2019re not deciding this for California, we\u2019re giving Californians the chance to decide for themselves,\u201d Johnson said. The role is currently held by Shirley Weber, a Democrat running for reelection. She won more than 58% of the vote in the June primary and will face Donald Wagner, a former Republican assemblymember, in November.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-oprqM\" data-uniq-id=\"aH3FR\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-s8vNp\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-kavLi\" data-uniq-id=\"rFB04\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-bBTw0\"><span style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\" class=\"brz-cp-color1\">\u201cWe\u2019re not deciding this for California, we\u2019re giving Californians the chance to decide for themselves,\u201d Johnson said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-opEW_\" data-uniq-id=\"sd8ph\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-dh4Na\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-eY1RG\" data-uniq-id=\"hncnN\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-eRz54\"><span style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\" class=\"brz-cp-color1\">The role is currently held by Shirley Weber, a Democrat running for reelection. She won more than 58% of the vote in the June primary and will face Donald Wagner, a former Republican assemblymember, in November.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-mCU4P\" data-uniq-id=\"ecB3S\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-ctI0f\"><span style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\" class=\"brz-cp-color1\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-hrH1u\" data-uniq-id=\"aph6i\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-eytu5\"><span style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\" class=\"brz-cp-color1\">\u201cACA 23 is a common sense idea,\u201d Wagner said at the news conference. \u201cIt is not an opportunity for Republicans to win more races, for Democrats to win more races, for anyone to win more races. It is an opportunity for the voters, for the voters of this state, no matter what they feel, no matter what party, or no party they belong to, to actually have a say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-kXrjP\" data-uniq-id=\"pjYl8\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-bA_EI\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-k8cFZ\" data-uniq-id=\"b3D5T\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-vD4nL\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">Read more at: <\/span><a class=\"brz-cp-color1 link--external\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/politics-government\/capitol-alert\/article316863082.html#campaignName=sacramento_political_newsletter\" data-brz-link-type=\"external\">The Sac Bee<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-aoM4O\" data-uniq-id=\"rrzDE\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-bCPde\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-gETQj\" data-uniq-id=\"ornTa\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-zmkCM\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"brz-text-lg-center brz-fsft-lg-0 brz-fwdth-lg-100 brz-vfw-lg-400 brz-lh-lg-1_9 brz-ls-lg-0 brz-fw-lg-400 brz-fss-lg-px brz-fs-lg-16 brz-ft-google brz-ff-oxygen brz-tp-lg-empty brz-css-lZQSf\" data-uniq-id=\"p6hRH\" data-generated-css=\"brz-css-zfZof\"><span class=\"brz-cp-color1\" style=\"color: rgba(var(--brz-global-color1),1);\">### <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<p><!-- version:1786746118 --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should California\u2019s secretary of state be nonpartisan? GOP lawmakers make push SACRAMENTO, CA &#8211; &#8211;&nbsp;California\u2019s secretary of state would be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"brizy-blank-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=831"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":836,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831\/revisions\/836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wagnerforcalifornia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}