Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times)
Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections.
“I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy,” he said. “Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger.”
But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administration’s changes to the U.S. census, saying he will “ensure every Californian gets counted.”
Source: latimes.com – Los Angeles Times