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SAN DIEGO — Incumbent Democrat Shirley Weber has won the race for California Secretary of State, the Associated Press projects.

Weber, the first African American to ever hold the role, has garnered 58% of the vote compared to her Republican challenger Robert Bernosky’s nearly 42%, according to election results as of Wednesday afternoon.

This high-profile position requires the title holder to safeguard the state’s elections, business programs, information technology and more. This office holder should be dedicated to ensuring government is transparent and accessible. 

The California Secretary of State also collaborates closely with county election officials, the governor and the state’s legislature. 

According to interview questions shared by CalMatters, Weber said her top priorities for the post include running safe and fair elections, while making voting more accessible and increasing the number registered voters in California. 

The Democrat added she intends to work closely with the governor and Legislature “to craft legislation to improve voting rights.” A few key areas she mentioned include voter list maintenance, ballot return processes and the state’s recall process. 

When asked by CalMatters how she intends to collaborate with county election officials, Weber said keeping regular communication on elections, procedures and policies will help ensure she is doing everything to “run safe, fair, accessible elections.”