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

Whistleblower reveals White House, DOJ leadership, and FBI leadership pressured FBI employees to illegally investigate protesters of this Administration’s cruel mass deportation agenda FBI leadership allegedly acknowledged unconstitutionality of the investigations and nonetheless instructed employees to proceed WASHINGTON, D.C. —...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Adam Schiff (both-D-Calif.), pressed the top executives of the largest social media companies about their plans to combat misinformation and disinformation on...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, took to the Senate floor in opposition to Republicans’ so-called Stop Insider Trading Act, which would allow members of Congress who already...
Whistleblower reveals White House, DOJ leadership, and FBI leadership pressured FBI employees to illegally investigate protesters of this Administration’s cruel mass deportation agenda FBI leadership allegedly acknowledged unconstitutionality of the investigations and nonetheless instructed employees to proceed WASHINGTON, D.C. —...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and Adam Schiff (both-D-Calif.), pressed the top executives of the largest social media companies about their plans to combat misinformation and disinformation on...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, took to the Senate floor in opposition to Republicans’ so-called Stop Insider Trading Act, which would allow members of Congress who already...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in reintroducing the Police Training and Independent Review Act,legislation that would help prevent police-involved deaths and encourage independent, impartial investigations into law enforcement officials’ use of deadly...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with jurisdiction over federal elections, Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking...
Overdue plan comes after Trump Administration defunded election security efforts, fired staff WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight over federal elections, released the following statement after the Department...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight over federal elections, demanded answers from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden regarding recent disclosures showing potentially...
In early 2026, 32 percent of local election workers experienced threats or harassment, 52 percent concerned for staff safety WASHINGTON, D.C. — With midterm elections just around the corner and threats to our elections at an all-time high from Donald Trump, U.S. Senator Alex...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padila (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, once again took to the Senate floor to lead his colleagues in defeating Republicans’ attempts to pass parts of the SAVE Act...
Allegations made by DHS Whistleblower could have far-reaching impacts on eligible California voters and lawfully present noncitizens WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with jurisdiction over federal elections and...