SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today the appointment of Secretary of State Alex Padilla as chair of the California Complete Count Committee (CCCC). In this capacity, Secretary Padilla will lead the advisory panel of community leaders who recommend strategies to increase participation in the 2020 Census.
“Secretary Padilla is a national leader working to ensure a fair and accurate census count,” said Governor Newsom. “California will benefit from his strategic vision and advocacy as chair of the Complete Count Committee. As the White House continues to play politics with the decennial count, Secretary Padilla will be an effective partner working across the state to reach hard-to-count communities.”
The California Complete Count Committee assists in the development of a state census strategy for a complete and accurate count of California’s population. Members help develop a targeted outreach campaign focused on hard-to-count communities, including individuals and families living in hard-to-find housing units, people who speak limited or no English, disabled and elderly residents, homeless communities and new immigrants.
“As chair of the Complete Count Committee, I’m calling for all hands on deck for the 2020 Census,” said Secretary of State Padilla. “The 2020 Census will help define California for the next decade. Our voice in Congress and presidential elections is on the line. Billions of dollars—for our schools, roads, and health services—are on the line. Participating in the census directly matters for our communities.”
The California Complete Count Committee is an advisory panel of community leaders who represent diverse populations from across the state. Members of the CCCC raise awareness of the importance of census campaign efforts to community leaders and guide them in developing strategies for a complete and accurate count in their respective communities. They provide expertise and insight to develop an outreach strategy leveraging existing community partnerships, participate as experts, or collaborate with other experts on census established working groups, and identify effective outreach strategies.
Padilla, 46, was elected California’s Secretary of State in November 2014, becoming the first Latino elected to that office. He currently serves as co-chair of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund’s bipartisan National Latino Commission on Census 2020. Padilla previously served in the California State Senate (2006-2014) and on the Los Angeles City Council (1999-2006) where he served as council president. Padilla earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Padilla is a Democrat.
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