IT services provider CGI Group has won the US$38.75m contract to implement the State of California’s new centralized statewide voter registration database system, VoteCal, which will provide a single official source of voter registration information.

VoteCal will connect to multiple state agencies and all 58 county election official offices to improve efficiency of the voter registration process. Currently, information about new and existing registered voters is separately maintained in county election management systems with the current statewide voter registration database (CalVoter) storing a copy of each county’s voter registration data and refreshing that data based on daily updates.

Josetta Bull, VP at CGI and account executive for the State of California account, said, “We bring expertise in large-scale data integration as well as extensive experience integrating information management systems across California.”

VoteCal will include a new public website for people to register online, verify their registration, and look up provisional ballot and vote-by-mail ballot status.

US federal government mandates states implement centralized voter registration systems. California's existing legacy system is compliant with this mandate. CGI will replace it, however, with a modern and robust technical foundation and deliver added functionality, making compliance simpler and more efficient.

VoteCal will automate functions currently performed manually, support uniform application of voter laws and establish uniform voter registration processes across the state.