BILL NUMBER: AB 1596	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Garcia

                        FEBRUARY 4, 2014

   An act to amend Section 3006 of the Elections Code, relating to
elections.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1596, as introduced, Garcia. Elections: vote by mail ballot
applications.
   Existing law requires that a printed application that is to be
distributed to a voter for requesting a vote by mail voter's ballot
include specified information. Existing law requires an individual,
organization, or group that distributes applications for vote by mail
ballots and receives completed application forms to return the forms
to the appropriate elections official within 72 hours of receiving
the forms.
   This bill would require a printed vote by mail application that
allows a voter to submit the application by mail to inform the voter
of the address for the elections official and specify that address
the only appropriate destination address for the application, as
specified. The bill would provide that it not be construed as
prohibiting an individual, organization, or group that distributes
applications for vote by mail voter ballots from collecting or
receiving applications from voters by means other than having
applications mailed directly to the address of the distributing
individual, organization, or group.
   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 3006 of the Elections Code is amended to read:
   3006.  (a) A printed application that is to be distributed to a
voter for requesting a vote by mail voter's ballot shall inform the
voter that the application for the vote by mail voter's ballot must
be received by the elections official not later than seven days prior
to the date of the election and shall contain spaces for the
following:
   (1) The printed name and residence address of the voter as it
appears on the affidavit of registration.
   (2) The address to which the ballot is to be mailed.
   (3) The voter's signature.
   (4) The name and date of the election for which the request is to
be made.
   (b) (1) The information required by paragraphs (1) and (4) of
subdivision (a) may be preprinted on the application. The information
required by paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) shall be
personally affixed by the voter.
   (2) An address, as required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a),
may not be the address of a political party, a political campaign
headquarters, or a candidate's residence. However, a candidate, his
or her spouse, immediate family members, and any other voter who
shares the same residence address as the candidate may request that a
vote by mail ballot be mailed to the candidate's residence address.
   (3) An application that contains preprinted information shall
contain a conspicuously printed statement substantially similar to
the following: "You have the legal right to mail or deliver this
application directly to the local elections official of the county
where you reside." 
   (4) A printed vote by mail application that allows a voter to
submit the application by mail shall inform the voter of the address
for the elections official and specify that address as the only
appropriate destination address for mailing the application. Nothing
in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit an individual,
organization, or group that distributes applications for vote by mail
voter ballots from collecting or receiving applications from voters,
as described in Section 3008, by means other than having the
applications mailed directly to the address of the distributing
individual, organization, or group. 
   (c) The application shall inform the voter that if he or she has
declined to disclose a preference for a political party, the voter
may request a vote by mail ballot for a particular political party
for the partisan primary election, if that political party has
adopted a party rule, duly noticed to the Secretary of State,
authorizing that vote. The application shall contain a toll-free
telephone number, established by the Secretary of State, that the
voter may call to access information regarding which political
parties have adopted such a rule. The application shall contain a
checkoff box with a conspicuously printed statement that reads
substantially similar to the following: "I have declined to disclose
a preference for a qualified political party. However, for this
primary election only, I request a vote by mail ballot for the
_________ Party." The name of the political party shall be personally
affixed by the voter.
   (d) The application shall provide the voter with information
concerning the procedure for establishing permanent vote by mail
voter status, and the basis upon which permanent vote by mail voter
status is claimed.
   (e) The application shall be attested to by the voter as to the
truth and correctness of its content, and shall be signed under
penalty of perjury.