Calif. Elections Head Seeks New DMV Leader After Error

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California’s secretary of state is calling for new leadership at the embattled department of motor vehicles after revelations of an error that may have prevented people from voting.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla on Friday asked Gov. Jerry Brown and governor-elect Gavin Newsom to replace DMV Director Jean Shiomoto.Shiomoto says the DMV failed to transmit 589 voter registration records before the November election.

Of those, 329 were for people newly registering to vote and 260 were from people trying to change their address.

Padilla says his office is looking into whether those voters cast provisional ballots and whether any were rejected.

Shiomoto says the delay was caused by a misunderstanding and the DMV takes full responsibility.

It’s the latest in a string of DMV errors related to voter registration.