According to Guy Marzorati, a reporter and producer for KQED’s California Politics and Government Desk, California is seeing the benefit of some of the reforms passed last year to protect voters from Covid. From the recent article:

The COVID-19 pandemic spurred state lawmakers to broaden voting options in the name of safety. For the first time, every voter was mailed a ballot, while early voting was expanded and polling places were abandoned in favor of countywide voting locations.

In a report released Wednesday, the National Vote at Home Institute gave California its highest score, praising the state for policy changes implemented in 2020.

“They did achieve monumental success in terms of the adjustments while dealing with the pandemic,” said Amber McReynolds, the institute’s CEO. Now, lawmakers in Sacramento have to figure out which changes to keep.

Also, see related Democracy Chronicles articles like those on the Founding Fathers, Election History, or even seen our section on American democracy.