California Governor Gavin Newsom is set to deliver a prerecorded speech on July Fourth, addressing the national debate surrounding election integrity. The speech will counter claims made by President Donald Trump regarding the U.S. voting system's reliability. Newsom's address, recorded at the governor's mansion in Sacramento, will be shared on social media as the nation celebrates 250 years of independence.
In his speech, Newsom will respond to Trump's criticisms of California's mail-in voting and the state's vote-counting process, which Trump has described as evidence of a flawed election system. Newsom plans to emphasize the importance of voting rights, stating, "The core of our democracy... is the fundamental right to vote. If we lose that, we lose everything."
The governor will also announce a proposal to make unauthorized ballot seizures a felony in California, following a controversial incident involving Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who authorized the seizure of approximately 650,000 ballots during an investigation into the 2024 election. This action was later halted by the California Supreme Court.
As part of a recent budget agreement, California lawmakers approved funding to modernize ballot counting and enhance voter outreach and education. Newsom's address aims to reinforce California's commitment to protecting its election processes against interference and misinformation.