BILL NUMBER: SB 970 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 11, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Senator Corbett
FEBRUARY 5, 2010
An act to add and repeal Article 6 (commencing with Section 12290)
to Chapter 3 of Division 12 of the Elections Code, relating to
elections.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 970, as amended, Corbett. Preelection day voting.
Existing law generally requires voters who wish to vote and who do
not cast their ballots by mail to cast their ballot at the precinct
polling place on election day.
This bill would require, until December 31, 2016, the Secretary of
State, in conjunction with the county elections officials, to select
4 college campuses, 2 within the University of California and 2
within the California State University, to each serve as preelection
day polling places for any precinct in the county's jurisdiction
during at least one general election. The bill would require that the
preelection day polling places be open to receive votes
from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the 5 business days preceding
election day and during the same hours on election day
. The bill would require each county elections official who
has a preelection day polling place within his or her jurisdiction
during an election to report to the Legislature and the Secretary of
State regarding the use of the preelection day voting polling place
within 6 months of the date of the election. The Secretary of State
would then be required to report to the Legislature regarding the
feasibility to expand the preelection day voting polling place
program within 8 months of the date of the election.
Because the bill would increase the duties of elections officials,
it would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) There is a correlation between preelection day voting and
higher instances of voter turnout.
(b) Preelection day voting on college campuses will allow college
students more time to vote and thereby more effectively manage their
busy class schedules.
(c) Research findings show that the younger a voter becomes
engaged in the political process, the more likely he or she will
remain an active participant in our democratic system of government.
SEC. 2. Article 6 (commencing with Section 12290) is added to
Chapter 3 of Division 12 of the Elections Code, to read:
Article 6. Preelection Day Voting Polling Places Pilot Program
12290. (a) For at least one general election from January 1,
2011, but prior to December 31, 2016, the Secretary of State, in
conjunction with the county elections officials, shall establish
preelection day voting polling places on four college campuses in the
state, subject to the following conditions:
(1) Two of the college campuses shall be within the University of
California. Both of the campuses selected must have at least 20,000
registered students at the time of selection.
(2) Two of the college campuses shall be within the California
State University. Both of the campuses selected must have at least
13,000 registered students at the time of selection.
(b) Each college campus selected to be a preelection day voting
polling place shall serve as the polling place for any precinct in
the county's jurisdiction.
12291. A preelection day voting polling place established
pursuant to Section 12290 shall be open from 7 a.m. until 8
p.m. during the five business days prior to the date of the
election and from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on the date of the
election for voters to cast their ballots . For each day
that the preelection day voting polling place is open to receive
votes prior to the date of the election, the provisions of Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 14000), Chapter 2 (commencing with Section
14100), and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 14200) of Division 14
, except Section 14212, shall apply.
For the date of the election, Division 14 (commencing with Section
14000) in its entirety shall apply.
12292. A preelection day voting polling place may not be
established for any election other than a general election as it
applies to the pilot program in this article.
12293. (a) Each county elections official who has a preelection
day voting polling place within his or her jurisdiction during an
election shall report to the Legislature and the Secretary of State
regarding the election within six months after the date of the
election as it applies to the pilot program in this article. This
report shall include, at a minimum, statistics regarding the cost of
a preelection day voting polling place, the turnout of voters at the
preelection day voting polling place, and any problems with
preelection day voting polling place voting that has been made known
to the elections official.
(b) After receiving the reports from the county elections
officials pursuant to subdivision (a) but not later than eight months
after the date of the election, the Secretary of State shall report
to the Legislature regarding the ability to expand the preelection
day voting polling places program to other college campuses within
the state.
12294. This article shall remain in effect only until December
31, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before December 31, 2016, deletes or extends
that date.
SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.