Assembly Bill No. 1970

CHAPTER 821

An act to add Sections 3026 and 14314 to the Elections Code, relating to elections.

[Approved by Governor September 29, 2016. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2016.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1970, Low. Elections: vote by mail and provisional ballots.

Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare and distribute to appropriate elections officials a uniform application and uniform electronic application format for a vote by mail voter’s ballot that conforms to specified requirements. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to establish a free access system that permits any voter who casts a provisional ballot to discover whether the voter’s provisional ballot was counted and if not, the reason why it was not counted. Existing law authorizes the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to ensure the uniform application of statutory provisions regarding provisional voting.

This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations establishing guidelines for county elections officials relating to the processing of vote by mail and provisional ballots.

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 3026 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

3026.  

The Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations establishing guidelines for county elections officials relating to the processing of vote by mail ballots.

SEC. 2.  

Section 14314 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

14314.  

The Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations establishing guidelines for county elections officials relating to the processing of provisional ballots.



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