Former California governor grants Cameron County more than $250K for 2020 elections
SCREENSHOT TAKEN BY ALEJANDRA YAÑEZ DURING TUESDAY’S LIVESTREAM OF THE CAMERON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ COURT VIA ZOOM
Alejandra Yañez | THE RIDER
Arnold Schwarzenegger awarded Cameron County and its Elections and Voter Registration Department more than $250,000 on Tuesday to support the county’s efforts to increase voter access and polling operations in the 2020 elections.
The USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy Grant given to the county totals $250,973.66 and will be used for nonpartisan efforts.
Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California, briefly joined the Commissioners’ Court meeting via Zoom Tuesdays morning.
“I’m very proud of [Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza] for getting in touch with us and requesting some money to open up some polling stations, especially the two super centers that will give the ability of 20,000 to 24,000 voters to vote,” Schwarzenegger said during Tuesday’s meeting. “So many people out there are talking about it and inspiring people to go out there and vote.”
Garza thanked Schwarzenegger during the meeting for the grant.
“We certainly want to thank the former governor because without these funds those super centers wouldn’t be possible,” Garza said during the meeting. “Getting a chance for people to vote safely and securely is going to be great. So, it’s obviously going to go a very long way and we obviously thank him very much.”
In a news release, Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. said Cameron County was the first recipient of Schwarzenegger’s Democracy Grants initiative.
“Governor Schwarzenegger, as we spoke today during [the] Commissioners’ Court, I want to thank you for the award and the trust given to our county for the upcoming plans that we have in place for a successful and safe voting in the 2020 elections,” Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr said in the news release. “Governor Schwarzenegger was invited to visit Cameron County and agreed to visit in the future saying, ‘I’ll be back.’”
Last Thursday, Cameron County and the Cameron County Elections and Voter Registration Department was also awarded the Center for Tech and Civic Life grant (CTCL). The grant was $1,853,729 to support the efforts of Treviño and the Commissioners’ Court in planning and operating safe and secure elections in the county.
Schwarzenegger took to Twitter to thank Cameron County for applying for the grant.
Thank you to Cameron County for applying for a grant! I am so pumped for the voters to have access to these voting super-centers. Like I said, I owe this country everything and this is one of my best investments. https://t.co/fEpE2XxcoA
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) September 29, 2020
“I am so pumped for the voters to have access to these voting super-centers,” he tweeted. “Like I said, I owe this country everything and this is one of my best investments.”
The former governor of California said he looks forward to visiting Cameron County in the future.
“I am a fanatic about our democracy and donating my money to expand voting access is one of the best investments I can make,” Schwarzenegger said. “I can’t wait to visit Cameron County and I hope Judge Treviño is ready to show me the best places for boots and BBQ, two of my favorite things.”
