BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 199
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 199 (Correa)
As Amended May 24, 2011
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :26-14
ELECTIONS 5-2 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Fong, Bonilla, Gatto, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Mendoza, Swanson | |Bradford, Charles |
| | | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| | | |Gatto, Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Logue, Valadao |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Allows a vote by mail (VBM) voter to return his or her
ballot to any polling place within the state, instead of being
limited to polling places within the jurisdiction of the
elections official who issued the ballot. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Permits a properly cast VBM ballot to be returned in person to
any member of a precinct board at any polling place within the
state, instead of being limited to polling places within the
jurisdiction of the elections official who issued the ballot.
2)Provides that if a VBM ballot is returned to a precinct board
of a polling place located in a county other than the county
from which the ballot was issued, the elections official
responsible for that polling place shall forward the ballot to
the elections official who issued it.
3)Provides that VBM ballots that are forwarded pursuant to this
bill that are not included in the semifinal official canvass
phase of the election shall be processed and counted during
the official canvass.
EXISTING LAW :
SB 199
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1)Requires all VBM ballots to be cast on or before the day of
the election. Provides that after marking the ballot, the VBM
voter must do either of the following:
a) Return the ballot by mail or in person to the elections
official from whom it came; or,
b) Return the ballot in person to any member of a precinct
board at any polling place within the jurisdiction of the
elections official who issued the ballot.
1)Provides that all VBM ballots must be received by either the
elections official from whom it came or a precinct board
within the jurisdiction before the close of the polls on
election day.
2)Requires an elections official to establish procedures to
ensure the secrecy of any ballot returned to a precinct
polling place and the security, confidentiality, and integrity
of any personal information collected, stored, or otherwise
used.
3)Requires VBM ballots that are returned to the elections office
and to the polls on election day and that are not included in
the semifinal official canvass to be processed and counted
during the official canvass.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, minor annual reimbursable costs for each county to
collect and return other (probably mostly neighboring) counties'
ballots. Assuming $1,000 per county, total costs would be
$58,000.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "In today's highly mobile
society, people often travel great distances for work, school,
or other reasons. This bill would allow a professional who
lives in Placer County to return their absentee ballot on a
lunch break in downtown Sacramento - or a college student from
Orange County attending Stanford to return their ballot at a
polling place near that campus."
AB 773 (Blakeslee) of 2007, was identical to this bill. AB 773
was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. In his veto message, the
SB 199
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Governor argued that "�w]hile it may be convenient for a small
number of voters to return their ballots in counties other than
their county of residence, the extra costs to counties and
inherent delays associated with this measure do not justify the
provisions of this bill."
Analysis Prepared by : Lori Barber / E. & R. / (916) 319-2094
FN: 0001885