coronavirus

All California Voters to Receive Mail-In Ballots for 2020 Election: Newsom

The governor's executive order is believed to make the state the first in the U.S. to provide mail ballots to all its voters

Gov. Gavin Newsom
KCRA

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday he has signed an executive order that allows all California voters to receive a mail-in ballot for the November election.

Newsom made the announcement along with Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who was on the phone, during his daily coronavirus briefing at a California flower shop.

Walk-in voting will still be available, and the governor also said the state is working on setting up safe places for walk-in voters to fill out a ballot as California continues to respond with caution to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Padilla, California is the first state to take an action that provides every voter a mail-in ballot.

Newsom also said the launch of Phase 2 of his state reopening plan during the coronavirus shelter-at-home order allows 70% of California businesses to resume operations on some level and with limitations. He added that more specific guidelines for Phase 2 will come Tuesday.

Those businesses include flower shops, clothing stores, bookstores and sporting goods stores, all of which will be allowed to provide curbside services as detailed in Phase 2 of California's reopening.

On Thursday, Newsom was asked about nail and hair salons and revealed for what was believed to be the first time that community spread of the virus in California started at a nail salon. When asked to elaborate Friday, the governor said it was just a factual statement and by no stretch an indictment of the industry, which he called "noble" and one of the most entrepreneurial industries in the nation.

He added that he had made references to the nail salon fact previously.

Nail and hair salons are in Phase 3 of Newsom's reopening plan.

Story will be updated.

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