California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1589

Introduced by Assembly Member Frazier

February 3, 2014

An act to amend Section 3120 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1589, as introduced, Frazier. Military or overseas voters: electronic ballots.

Existing law requires an elections official to request an electronic mail address from each military or overseas voter who registers to vote. Existing law allows a military or overseas voter who provides an electronic mail address to request that his or her application for a ballot be considered a standing request for electronic delivery of a ballot for all elections held through December 31 of the year following the calendar year of the date of the application, or another shorter period the voter specifies. Existing law requires an elections official to provide a ballot to a military or overseas voter who makes a standing request for each election to which the request is applicable.

This bill would instead allow the application for a ballot to be considered a standing request for electronic delivery of a ballot for all elections conducted in the jurisdiction in which the military or overseas voter is eligible to vote and require the elections official to provide for electronic delivery of the ballot.

Because this bill would impose additional duties on local elections officials, it would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 3120 of the Elections Code is amended
to read:

3120.  

The elections official shall request an electronic mail
address from each military or overseas voter who registers to vote
begin delete after the effective date of this section end delete . A military or overseas voter
who provides an electronic mail address may request that his or
her application for a ballot be considered a standing request for
electronic delivery of a ballot for all elections begin delete held through
December 31 of the year following the calendar year of the date
of the application or another shorter period the voter specifies end delete
begin insert conducted in the jurisdiction in which he or she is eligible to vote end insert .
An elections official shall provide begin insert for electronic delivery of end insert a ballot
to a military or overseas voter who makes a standing request for begin delete each election to which the request is applicable. A military or
overseas voter who is entitled to receive a ballot for a primary
election is entitled to receive a military or overseas ballot for the
general election end delete begin insert all elections conducted in the jurisdiction in which
he or she is eligible to vote end insert .

SEC. 2.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.