BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS Senator Lou Correa, Chair BILL NO: SB 1275 HEARING DATE: 4/19/12 AUTHOR: LIEU ANALYSIS BY: Frances Tibon Estoista AMENDED: AS INTRODUCED FISCAL: YES SUBJECT Vacancies in office: special elections DESCRIPTION Existing law requires the Governor to issue a proclamation calling a special election within 14 calendar days of the occurrence of a vacancy in a congressional or legislative office. If that vacancy occurs after the close of the nomination period in the final year of the term of office, the Governor may decline to call a special congressional election and he is prohibited from calling a special legislative election. Existing law requires a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 112 days, but not more than 126 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the Governor, except that any special election may be conducted within 180 days following the proclamation in order that the election or the primary election may be consolidated with the next regularly scheduled statewide election or local election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory in which the vacancy exists, provided that the voters eligible to vote in the local election comprise at least 50 percent of all the voters eligible to vote on the vacancy. This bill would instead require the Governor to schedule a special election to fill a vacancy in an elected office at least 126 days but not more than 140 days following the issuance of the election proclamation. Existing law provides that a special primary election shall be held in the district in which the vacancy occurred on the eighth Tuesday or, if the eighth Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the ninth Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election at which the vacancy is to be filled. Candidates at the primary election shall be nominated in a specified manner, except that nomination papers shall not be circulated more than 63 days before the primary election, shall be left with the county elections official for examination not less than 43 days before the primary election, and shall be filed with the Secretary of State not less than 39 days before the primary election. This bill would also make conforming changes to other related sections of current law. BACKGROUND In 2009 President Obama signed the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which requires that absentee ballots must be sent at least 45 days before the election to any Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voter who has submitted a request by that date. Under current law, after the Governor announces a special election in the wake of a vacancy in a legislative or congressional office, a special general election must be held within 112-126 days. Depending on when the Governor calls the election, which must be within 14 days of the vacancy, there can be very little time for elections officials to prepare and candidates to file documents before the primary election. COMMENTS 1.According to the author , this bill gives elections officials more time to ensure all the requirements are met for military and overseas voters by changing the window when a special general election can be held from 112 to 126 days after the Governor's election proclamation, to 126 to 140 days after the Governor's announcement. This bill also allows elections officials to mail out SB 1275 (LIEU) Page 2 vote-by mail ballots 29 days before every election, giving voters more time to consider the candidates and issues on their ballot. POSITIONS Sponsor: Secretary of State Support: None received Oppose: None received SB 1275 (LIEU) Page 3