BILL NUMBER: AB 624	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Monning

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2009

   An act  to amend Section 12223 of the Elections Code, 
relating to elections.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 624, as amended, Monning. Elections:  voter
participation.   election precincts.  
   The California Constitution authorizes any person who is a United
States citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a resident of the state
to vote, subject to certain restrictions, such as the prohibition of
voting by individuals then imprisoned. Existing law establishes the
requirements for registering to vote and the conduct of elections.
 
   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to increase
voter participation in statewide elections.  
   Existing law requires the boundaries of an election precinct to be
fixed so that it contains no more than 1,000 voters on the 88th day
prior to the election.  
   This bill would authorize a local elections official to subtract
permanent vote by mail voters from that total. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 12223 of the  
Elections Code   is amended to read: 
   12223.  (a) Whenever a jurisdiction is divided into election
precincts or whenever the boundary of an established precinct is
changed or a new precinct is created, the precinct boundary shall be
fixed in a manner so that the number of voters in the precinct does
not exceed 1,000 on the 88th day prior to the day of election, unless
otherwise provided by law.
   (b)  This section shall become operative on January 1,
2005.   An elections official may subtract the number of
permanent vote by mail voters, pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing
with Section 3200) of Division 3, from the total number of voters for
purposes of complying with subdivision (a) if  after
subtracting the number of permanent vote by mail voters, the number
of voters in the precinct does not exceed the percentage of
nonpermanent vote by mail voters in the jurisdiction on the 88th day
prior to the election multiplied by 1,000, unless otherwise provided
by law.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to increase voter participation in statewide elections.