SB 417, as amended, Stone. Elections: election day procedures.
Existing law requires the precinct board, before receiving any ballots, in the presence of any persons assembled at the polling place, to open and exhibit and close the ballot container or containers. Thereafter, existing law prohibits the ballot container or containers from being removed from the polling place or presence of the bystanders until all the ballots are counted, nor opened until after the polls are finally closed.
This bill would authorize the precinct board of a county with a geographic area of at leastbegin delete 2500end deletebegin insert 2,500end insert square miles to remove the ballot container or containers from the polling place while the polls remain open only to facilitate
the early delivery of ballots to the receiving centers or central counting places.begin insert The bill would prohibit a local agency exercising this authorization from seeking state reimbursement for associated costs.end insert The bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations for the secure delivery and transfer of the ballots to the receiving center or central counting place.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 14215 of the Elections Code is amended
2to read:
(a) Before receiving any ballots, the precinct board, in
4the presence of any persons assembled at the polling place, shall
5open and exhibit and close the ballot container or containers.
6Thereafter, except as specified in subdivision (b), the ballot
7container or containers shall not be removed from the polling place
8or presence of the bystanders until all the ballots are counted, nor
9opened until after the polls are finally closed.
10(b) (1) The precinct board may remove the ballot container or
11containers from the polling place while the polls remain open only
12to facilitate the early delivery of ballots to the receiving centers or
13
central counting places. The Secretary of State shall adopt
14regulations for the secure delivery and transfer of the ballots to
15the receiving center or central counting place.
16(2) This subdivisionbegin delete shall only applyend deletebegin insert applies onlyend insert to a county
17of a geographic area of at leastbegin delete 2500end deletebegin insert 2,500end insert square miles.
18(3) A local agency that exercises the authority set forth in
19paragraph (1) shall not seek
reimbursement from the state for
20associated costs pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section
2117500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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