On Thursday, the California Legislature officially confirmed Governor Newsom’s nomination of Assembly Member Shirley N. Weber (D-San Diego) as the next Secretary of State. First announced in December, Governor Newsom’s official nomination of Dr. Weber was submitted following Alex Padilla’s resignation from the position, as the Governor nominated him to the U.S. Senate.
During the confirmation process this week, the Assembly Special Committee on the Office of the Secretary of State (Committee) met to consider the nomination of Assembly Member Weber. The Committee, co-chaired by Assembly Members Marc Berman (D- Palo Alto) and Evan Low (D- San Jose), addressed a variety of issues including minimum voting age, flexibility and convenience for voters, countering misinformation, and accuracy of the voter rolls. In addressing these issues, Dr. Weber spoke of the important relationship between counties and the state in providing voters with access and confidence in the voting process. With bipartisan support, the Committee unanimously recommended her confirmation. The following day, her nomination was approved by the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee voted to recommend to the Senate that her nomination be confirmed. The Senate, in a vote on Thursday, made the confirmation official. Following the swearing in, Dr. Shirley N. Weber will become the fourth woman and first African American in California’s history to serve as Secretary of State.