BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2911
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND REDISTRICTING
Shirley Weber, Chair
AB 2911
(Committee on Elections and Redistricting) - As Introduced March
15, 2016
SUBJECT: Voting: voter information guides.
SUMMARY: Standardizes terms in the Elections Code used to refer
to the county and state voter information guides. Specifically,
this bill deletes the terms "sample ballot," "ballot pamphlet,"
"voter's pamphlet," "voter pamphlet," "state ballot pamphlet,"
and "statewide voter pamphlet," and replaces them with "state
voter information guide" or "county voter information guide," as
appropriate.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires the Secretary of State (SOS) to mail to all
households in which voters are registered a state voter
information guide, as specified
2)Requires the guide to contain information including, but not
limited to, a complete copy of each state measure, arguments
and rebuttals for and against each state measure, and an
analysis of each state measure.
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3)Requires county elections officials to mail a county voter
information guide to each voter in the jurisdiction, as
specified.
4)Requires the county voter information guide to contain, among
other things, a copy of the official ballot (sample ballot), a
notice of the polling place, a complete copy of each local
measure, and an analysis of each measure
FISCAL EFFECT: None. Keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative
Counsel.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose of the Bill: This is one of the Assembly Elections &
Redistricting Committee's bills to clean up the Elections Code
and standardize terms that are used to refer to the county
voter information guide and the state voter information guide,
as specified. These provisions were requested by the
California Association of Clerks and Election Officials
(CACEO).
2)County and State Voter Information Guides: Elections Code
Section 9094 requires the SOS to mail to all households in
which voters are registered a state voter information guide,
as specified. Existing law requires the guide to contain
information including, but not limited to, a complete copy of
each state measure, arguments and rebuttals for and against
each state measure, and an analysis of each state measure.
Additionally, Elections Code Sections 13300-13303 require
county elections officials to mail a county voter information
guide to each voter in the jurisdiction, as specified.
Existing law requires the county voter information guide to
AB 2911
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contain, among other things, a copy of the official ballot
(sample ballot), a notice of the polling place, a complete
copy of each local measure, and an analysis of each measure.
Throughout the Elections Code, however, there are a variety of
terms used to refer to state or county voter information
guides. For example, various Elections Code Sections use the
terms "ballot pamphlet," "state ballot pamphlet," and
"statewide voter pamphlet" when describing the state voter
information guide. Moreover, the terms "sample ballot" and
"voter pamphlet" are used throughout the Elections Code when
referring to the county voter information guide.
According to the county elections officials the use of
different terms throughout the Elections Code can be confusing
when trying to comply with existing law. This bill will
clean-up the Elections Code and standardize these terms.
Specifically, this bill deletes the terms "sample ballot,"
"ballot pamphlet," "voter's pamphlet," "voter pamphlet,"
"state ballot pamphlet," and "statewide voter pamphlet" and
replaces them with "state voter information guide" or "county
voter information guide," as appropriate.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Association of Clerks and Election Officials
AB 2911
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Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Nichole Becker / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094