BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2154
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Date of Hearing: April 6, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND REDISTRICTING
Paul Fong, Chair
AB 2154 (Solorio) - As Amended: March 24, 2010
SUBJECT : Vote by mail ballots: telephone applications.
SUMMARY : Permits a local elections official to allow voters to
apply for vote by mail (VBM) ballots by telephone. Specifically,
this bill allows a local elections official to offer voters the
ability to apply for a VBM ballot by telephone subject to the
following conditions:
1)The applicant must provide to the elections official personal
identifying information that matches the information contained
on the applicant's affidavit of registration, including first
and last name, home address, and date of birth. The
applicant's signature is not required for applications
received by telephone.
2)Except as otherwise provided, all provisions governing written
applications for VBM ballots apply to applications for VBM
ballots made by telephone.
EXISTING LAW provides that an application for a VBM voter's
ballot shall be made in writing to the elections official having
jurisdiction over the election between the 29th and the 7th day
prior to the election. The application shall be signed by the
applicant and show his or her place of residence.
FISCAL EFFECT : Keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS :
1)Purpose of the Bill : According to the author, "An increase in
the vote-by-mail option has been welcomed and encouraged by
county elections officials. Counties are saving money by
reducing election-day staff costs, minimizing the logistical
problems of equipment shortages and failure, shortening long
lines and eliminating the consequences of poorly trained poll
workers."
2)Argument in Support : In support of this bill, the Orange
County Board of Supervisors writes:
AB 2154
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This will provide a convenient, fast, and affordable way
for voters to submit request[s] for an absentee ballot.
Every election large numbers of voters call elections
departments to request a vote by mail ballot over the
phone, only to be told they must fill out an application
online or pick up a form from the election official's
office and then return it. Authorizing election officials
to accept requests for an absentee ballot over the phone
will provide a much needed convenience to voters.
The California Association of Clerks and Election Officials,
which took a support position on a prior version of this bill,
writes:
This proposal will expedite the vote by mail process,
provide a convenience to voters and eliminate unnecessary
paperwork. The current process was established long before
computer systems were introduced to manage the issuance and
verification of vote by mail ballots. Signatures on
returned voted vote by mail ballots are compared to those
on the voters' registration records and automated systems
in use by elections officials today have built-in
safeguards to ensure that only one ballot may be counted
for any vote by mail voter.
3)Electronic Application for VBM Ballots : AB 2277 (Keeley),
Chapter 753, Statutes of 2002, requires the Secretary of State
to provide local election officials with a uniform electronic
application format for VBM ballots and gives local elections
officials the option of allowing voters to apply for VBM
ballots electronically.
4)Previous Legislation : AB 84 (Hill) of 2009, would have
required elections officials to establish procedures to allow
a VBM voter to find out whether his or her VBM ballot was
counted, and if not the reason why it was not counted. AB 84
was vetoed by the Governor who expressed concern that it could
result in additional costs to local governments. AB 2964
(Levine) of 2008, which was substantially similar to AB 84 was
also vetoed by the Governor, though the Governor did not
express any policy objections to the bill.
SB 1725 (Bowen), Chapter 687, Statutes of 2006, requires
elections officials to establish procedures by March 1, 2008,
AB 2154
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to track and confirm the receipt of voted VBM ballots and to
make this information available by online access using the
county's elections division website, or if none is available,
by means of a toll-free telephone number.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Association of Clerks and Election Officials (as
introduced)
Orange County Board of Supervisors
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Lori Barber / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094