SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California lawmakers have approved the state's first Black top election official.
Thursday's vote fills a position vacated when the former secretary of state became California’s first Latino U.S. senator.
The Senate approved Assemblywoman Shirley Weber's nomination with Republicans not voting. The Assembly approved her nomination a day earlier.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointment of Weber is part of a continuing game of political dominos that started when U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris was elected vice president in November.
Newsom appointed then-secretary of state Alex Padilla to replace her, angering some who felt he should have replaced Harris with another Black woman. Hours later, Newsom named Weber to replace Padilla.
It’s OFFICIAL, my nomination for CA Secretary of State has been confirmed by the CA Legislature and my next step will be swearing in.
I will be the 1st Black woman to serve in this role and only the 5th Black person to serve as constitutional officer ever #RepresentationMatters pic.twitter.com/uvMEY8zKLO
— Shirley Weber, PhD (@DrWeber4CA) January 28, 2021
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