Amended in Senate June 18, 2014

Amended in Senate June 5, 2014

Amended in Assembly May 14, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1817


Introduced by Assembly Member Gomez

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Mullin, Ting, and Wieckowski)

February 18, 2014


An act to amend Section 49040 of, and to add Section 49041 to, the Education Code, relating to voter registration.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1817, as amended, Gomez. Voter registration: high school pupils.

Existing law permits a county elections official to deputize as registrars of voters qualified citizens, and permits a deputy registrar to register persons to vote. Existing law requires the last two full weeks in April and in September to be known as “high school voter weeks,” during which time deputy registrars of voters are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campusesbegin insert in areas designated by the school administrationend insert.

This bill would instead designate the last two full weeks in April and in September to be “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campusesbegin insert in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or his or her designeeend insert.

Under existing law, a person may not be registered as a voter except by affidavit of registration. A person is entitled to register to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. Existing law requires a properly executed affidavit of registration to be deemed effective upon receipt of the affidavit by the county elections official, if received on or before the 15th day prior to an election, or as otherwise specified.

Existing law, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, authorizes a person who is at least 17 years of age and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements to submit his or her affidavit of registration. The affidavit of registration is deemed effective as of the date the affiant will be 18 years of age.

This bill would permit thebegin delete school administrationend deletebegin insert administratorend insert of a high schoolbegin insert, or his or her designee,end insert to appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach coordinators. This bill would permit a voter outreach coordinator to coordinate voter registration activities on the high school campus that would encourage eligible persons to apply to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration. This bill would permit the voter outreach coordinator, with the approval of thebegin delete school administration,end deletebegin insert administrator or his or her designee,end insert to coordinate other election-related activities on his or her high school campus, as specified.

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

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

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 49040 of the Education Code is amended
2to read:

3

49040.  

begin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insert The last two full weeks in April and the last two
4full weeks in September shall be known as “high school voter
5education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the
6county elections official shall be allowed to register students and
7school personnel on any high school campus in areas designated
8by thebegin delete school administration,end deletebegin insert administrator of the high school, or
9his or her designee,end insert
which are reasonably accessible to all students.

begin insert

P3    1(b) This section does not preclude a person from registering to
2vote students and school personnel on a high school campus as is
3otherwise permitted by the Elections Code.

end insert
4

SEC. 2.  

Section 49041 is added to the Education Code, to read:

5

49041.  

(a) Thebegin delete school administrationend deletebegin insert administratorend insert of a high
6schoolbegin insert, or his or her designee,end insert may appoint one or more pupils
7who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach
8coordinators.

9(b) A voter outreach coordinator may coordinate voter
10registration activities on his or her high school campus that
11encourage persons who are eligible to register to vote pursuant to
12Section 2101 of the Elections Code, or other persons who may
13submit an affidavit of registration pursuant to Section 2102 of the
14Elections Code, to apply to register to vote by submitting an
15affidavit of registration on paper or electronically on thebegin delete Secretary
16of State’s electronic voter registration systemend delete
begin insert Internet Web site of
17the Secretary of Stateend insert
.

18(c) A voter outreach coordinator may, with the approval of the
19begin delete school administration,end deletebegin insert administrator of the high school, or his or
20her designee,end insert
coordinate election-related activities on his or her
21 high school campus, including voter registration drives, mock
22elections, debates, and other election-related pupil outreach
23activities.



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