Statement of Herb W Morgan, Candidate for CA State Controller on Election Integrity
As a candidate for California State Controller, my expertise lies in fiscal oversight, auditing, and ensuring accountability for taxpayer dollars — not in directly administering elections. I will not make assumptions or accusations beyond verified facts and the responsibilities of the office I seek.
However, legitimate concerns are circulating regarding our state’s election processes, including the extended timelines for counting mail ballots, variations in signature verification across counties, the handling of provisional and late-arriving ballots, and the overall pace of certification. These issues have contributed to a noticeable erosion of public trust in the finality and integrity of election results.
Trust is foundational to a functioning society and economy. In my prior profession, I routinely executed large securities trades over the phone. I trusted the counterparty and the expectation that settlement would occur as agreed. Without that confidence, financial markets simply cannot operate efficiently — transactions would grind to a halt amid constant verification and suspicion, raising costs and undermining stability. The same principle applies to our democracy: elections must inspire comparable trust for citizens to accept outcomes and sustain robust civic participation.
Our adversaries, both foreign and domestic, actively seek to exploit any vulnerabilities by sowing distrust in our electoral system. It is therefore essential that none of us — on either side of the political divide — rush to conclusions absent clear evidence. We must allow First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and others with announced investigations to do their work and await the results. Patience and rigorous verification serve the public interest.
Most important of all, our Secretary of State and county election officials must exercise every available measure to restore voter trust. This includes maximizing transparency in processes, accelerating where possible without compromising safeguards, conducting thorough and timely audits, and communicating openly with the public throughout the canvass period.
As Controller, I will continue advocating for fiscal accountability in all government operations, including the efficient use of resources in election administration, to support a system worthy of every Californian’s confidence.
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