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 June 2025
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This month we are pleased to introduce Denise Tower, the prime vendor Project Manager of the CARS Project. Since joining in September 2024, Denise is playing a vital role in helping to drive the CARS project to success. As an expert system integrator, she has led major system rollouts involving multiple subcontractors and teams and helping ensure seamless collaboration and execution.
Denise brings a wealth of experience across State and Local government as well as private sector manufacturing and retail industries. Her extensive background includes managing application development and modernization, leading Agile/Scrum-based projects, and overseeing infrastructure migrations to cloud services.
Beyond her professional expertise, Denise has also made a tangible impact in her community. As a dedicated volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, she has traded her project plans for a hardhat, contributing as a Construction Manager on several housing projects—including a meaningful build in Windsor, Ontario alongside President Jimmy Carter.
We are excited to have Denise’s leadership and expertise shaping the future of CARS!
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CARS Monthly External Stakeholder Meetings – The series of meetings occurs on the second Wednesday of each month to keep stakeholders informed about the CARS Project and to answer questions. The next meeting is on June 11, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and will include a functionality preview.
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Program Increment I – Includes development of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for uploading information from Candidates and Slate Mailer Organizations (SMOs), due at the end of June. This work encompasses 19 features dealing with APIs for various actions and information uploaded by campaign and lobbying entities. Another 31 features are in development for uploading information from Lobbyist Employers/Coalitions and Lobbyists.
- SMO data uploads include Statements of Organization, Campaign Statements, Statements of Termination, and Late Payment Reports.
- Other features cover uploading Officeholder and Candidate Campaign Statements and Candidate Intention Statements.
- Lobbying information uploaded through APIs includes registration statements and amendments, terminations, payments made and received, and amendments to disclosure reporting.
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Third Party Software Vendors – Software development in collaboration with Third Party Software Vendors continues, with early feedback received during twice-monthly design sessions with the vendors.
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Proof of Concept – With a great start in May, a proof of concept is now under development for end-to-end processing of Third Party Software Vendor uploads tied to campaign and lobbying functions. Three of our valued software vendors have volunteered to participate in testing, currently focused on the Candidate Intention Statement.
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Program Increment II – The prime vendor is onboarding additional developers assigned to two teams working on System Administration and Financial Transaction features.
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In the new CAL-ACCESS solution, how does a Filer amend their registration, for example a Candidate Intention Statement?
The Filer logs into the new CAL-ACCESS to view their dashboard, selects the Registration tab to find their most recent registration information, then selects the Amend button to make any necessary changes.
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What would you like to see included in the next CARS Stakeholder Bulletin issue? Email PRDCARS@SOS.CA.GOV to provide your ideas and feedback.
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The CARS Project Monthly External Stakeholder Meeting Series (MS Teams), PowerPoint Presentations, Q&As, FAQs and additional project information may be found on the CARS Homepage.
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