BILL NUMBER: AB 1724	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Fong

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2012

   An act to amend Section  3001   14224 
of  , and to repeal Section 19363 of,  the Elections Code,
relating to  elections   voting  .


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1724, as amended, Fong.  Elections: vote by mail
voting.   Voting: polling place procedures.  
   Existing law establishes procedures to be followed at polling
places on election day. Existing law provides that a voter may not
remain in or occupy a voting booth or compartment longer than is
necessary to mark his or her ballot, which may not exceed either 5 or
10 minutes, as specified, but permits a voter to remain for a longer
period of time if no other voter would be inconvenienced.  

   This bill would delete the provision permitting a voter to remain
for a longer period of time if no other voter would be inconvenienced
and would, instead, permit a voter to remain for longer than 10
minutes if the voter informs a precinct board member that the voter
requires additional time to mark his or her ballot.  
   This bill would also repeal the provisions that limit a voter to 5
minutes in a voting booth or compartment while marking his or her
ballot using a voting machine.  
   Under existing law, an application for a vote by mail ballot shall
be made by a voter to an elections official having jurisdiction over
the election between the 29th and 7th days prior to the election.
 
   This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to the above-described
provisions. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 14224 of the  
Elections Code   is amended to read: 
   14224.  Except as provided in Section 14222, voting booths or
compartments shall not be occupied by more than one person at a time,
unless the voter is eligible under the assisted-voter provisions.
Voters shall not remain in or occupy the booths or compartments
longer than is necessary to mark their ballots, which shall not
exceed 10 minutes. However,  where no other voter would be
inconvenienced   if a voter informs a precinct board
member that the voter requires additional time to mark his or her
ballot  , a longer period shall be allowed.
   SEC. 2.    Section 19363 of the   Elections
Code   is repealed.  
   19363.  Voters shall not remain in or occupy the booths or
compartments longer than is necessary to mark their ballots, which
shall not exceed five minutes. However, where no other voter would be
inconvenienced, a longer period shall be allowed.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 3001 of the Elections Code
is amended to read:
   3001.  Except as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section
3200) and Sections 3007.5 and 3007.7, application for a vote by mail
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 shall show his or her place of residence. Any
applications received by the elections official prior to the 29th day
prior to the election shall be kept and processed during the
application period.