California Republicans Refuse to Remove Unofficial Ballot Boxes

The California Republican Party said on Wednesday that it will continue to use unauthorized vote-by-mail drop boxes, despite a cease-and-desist letter from California Secretary of State Alex Padilla and Attorney General Xavier Becerra. The unofficial boxes have been found in districts with closely contested congressional races, and have been widely criticized by state Democrats as an attempt to confuse voters. Republicans argue the boxes are a form of “ballot harvesting,” which allows voters to designate someone else to collect and return their ballot under state law. We’ll talk with KQED politics and government editor Scott Shafer for an update on the situation. We’ll also talk with him about the Trump administration’s decision, announced Friday, to reject California’s request for wildfire disaster relief.