Amended in Assembly May 29, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 530

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva

February 20, 2013

An act to amend Section 3001 of, and to add Section 3007.8 to, the Elections Code, relating to vote by mail ballots.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 530, as amended, Quirk-Silva. Vote by mail ballots: telephone applications.

Existing law requires that application for a vote by mail voter’s ballot be made in writing to the elections official having jurisdiction over the election during a specified period prior to the election, subject to specified exceptions.

This bill would create an additional exception to this requirement by authorizing a local elections official to offer a voter the ability to apply for a vote by mail voter’s ballot by telephone. The bill would require a telephone applicant for a vote by mail voter’s ballot to provide specified information to the elections official. begin insert The bill would prohibit a person from applying for a vote by mail voter’s ballot by telephone using the name of, or on behalf of, another person. end insert

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 3001 of the Elections Code is amended
to read:

3001.  

Except as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with
Section 3200) and Sections 3007.5, 3007.7, and 3007.8, application
for a vote by mail voter’s ballot shall be made in writing to the
elections official having jurisdiction over the election between the
29th and the seventh day prior to the election. The application shall
be signed by the applicant and shall show his or her place of
residence. Any applications received by the elections official prior
to the 29th day shall be kept and processed during the application
period.

SEC. 2.  

Section 3007.8 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

3007.8.  

(a) A local elections official may offer a voter the
ability to apply for a vote by mail voter’s ballot by telephone.

(b) To apply by telephone, the applicant shall provide to the
elections official personal identifying information that matches
the information contained on the applicant’s affidavit of
registration, including first and last name, home address, and date
of birth. The applicant’s signature shall not be required.

begin insert

(c) A person shall not apply for a vote by mail voter’s ballot
pursuant to this section using the name of, or on behalf of, another
person.

end insert begin insert

(d) Prior to being asked for personal identifying information,
an applicant applying for a vote by mail voter’s ballot pursuant
to this section shall be advised as follows:

end insert begin insert

“Only the registered voter himself or herself may apply for a
vote by mail ballot. An application for a vote by mail ballot that
is made by any person other than the registered voter is a criminal
offense.”

end insert begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert (e) end insert  Except as otherwise provided in this section, all provisions
of this code governing written applications for vote by mail voter’s
ballots shall apply to applications made by telephone.