BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Senator Benjamin Allen, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 450 Hearing Date: 4/21/15
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|Author: |Allen |
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|Version: |2/25/15 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Darren Chesin |
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Subject: Elections: sample ballots
DIGEST
This bill requires the application for a vote by mail (VBM)
ballot that is included with the sample ballot to include a
space for the voter to apply for permanent VBM status.
ANALYSIS
Existing law:
1.Requires the appropriate elections official for each election
to produce sample ballots, as specified, and requires the
sample ballots to be mailed to each registered voter not more
than 40 nor less than 21 days before the election.
2.Permits any registered voter to request a VBM ballot and to
apply for permanent VBM status.
3.Requires the elections official to include with the sample
ballot an application for a VBM ballot.
This bill:
1.Requires the application for a VBM ballot that is included
with the sample ballot to include a space for the voter to
apply for permanent VBM status.
BACKGROUND
SB 450 (Allen) Page 2
of ?
VBM Popularity . California voters who use VBM ballots make up
an increasingly larger portion of the overall turnout. For
instance, 60.52% of all voters statewide in the November 4, 2014
General Election and 69.4% of all voters in the June 3, 2014
Primary Election used a VBM ballot - almost half of whom are
permanent VBM voters.
COMMENTS
1.According to the author : This bill would require the
application for a vote by mail ballot that is included with a
sample ballot to simply include a space for the voter to apply
for permanent vote by mail status. This change would merely
require a minor revision to the existing application which
many elections officials already include. Sample ballots are
one of the main sources of VBM applications and including a
space permitting voters to apply for permanent VBM status will
make the process that much more convenient.
RELATED/PRIOR LEGISLATION
N/A
POSITIONS
Sponsor: Author
Support: None received
Oppose: None received
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