BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2467
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND REDISTRICTING
Paul Fong, Chair
AB 2467 (Monning) - As Amended: April 15, 2010
SUBJECT : Elections: vote by mail.
SUMMARY : Deletes the requirement that an electronic vote by
mail (VBM) application include the date the application must be
received by the elections officials. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires an electronic application for a VBM ballot to inform
the voter that the application for the VBM ballot must be
received by the elections official not later than seven days
prior to the date of the election.
2)Makes other clarifying changes to statements on the electronic
VBM application.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that a VBM ballot is available to any registered
voter.
2)Requires that an elections official receive a request in
writing from a voter requesting a VBM application between the
29th and the 7th day prior to the election.
3)Requires the Secretary of State to prepare and distribute to
appropriate elections officials a uniform application format
for a VBM ballot.
FISCAL EFFECT : Keyed non-fiscal by the Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS :
1)Purpose of the Bill : According to the author:
AB 2467 simplifies the process of filling out a
vote-by-mail ballot application by eliminating the
requirement that the voter know and fill in specific dates
when submitting the application. The Secretary of State
posts the required format for a statewide vote-by-mail
ballot application online. County election officials must
AB 2467
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follow this format when distributing vote-by-mail ballot
applications and by law, the voter has to fill in the
correct date of the election, as well as the correct date
for the last day the application must be received. AB 2467
simply clarifies and makes the process of filling out a
vote-by-mail ballot application more user friendly for
voters.
2)Arguments in Support : The sponsor of this bill, Secretary of
State Debra Bowen, asserts that "Current law requires the
Secretary of State to prepare and distribute to elections
officials a uniform electronic vote-by-mail ballot application
that must include specific instructions. For example, the
application must include spaces for the voter to fill in their
name and residence address, the address to which the ballot is
to be mailed, the date of birth of the registered voter, the
name and date of the election, as well as the date the
application must be received by the elections official. The
Secretary of State posts the required format for a statewide
vote-by-mail ballot application online. County election
officials must follow this format when distributing
vote-by-mail ballot applications and by law, the voter has to
fill in the correct date of the election, as well as the
correct date for the last day the application must be
received. AB 2467 simplifies the process of filling out a
vote-by-mail ballot application by eliminating the requirement
that the voter know and fill in specific dates when submitting
the application."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Secretary of State Debra Bowen (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Qiana Charles / E. & R. / (916)
319-2094