Amended in Senate June 5, 2014

Amended in Assembly May 14, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1817

Introduced by Assembly Member Gomez

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(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Mullin, Ting, and Wieckowski)

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February 18, 2014

An act to begin insert amend Section 49040 of, and to end insert add begin delete and repeal end delete Section 49041 begin delete of end delete begin insert to, end insert the Education Code, relating to voter registration.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1817, as amended, Gomez. Voter registration: high school pupils.

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Existing law permits a county elections official to deputize as registrars of voters qualified citizens, and permits a deputy registrar to register persons to vote. Existing law requires the last two full weeks in April and in September to be known as “high school voter weeks,” during which time deputy registrars of voters are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses.

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This bill would instead designate the last two full weeks in April and in September to be “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses.

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Under existing law, a person may not be registered as a voter except by affidavit of registration. A person is entitled to register to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. Existing law requires a properly executed affidavit of registration to be deemed effective upon receipt of the affidavit by the county elections official, if received on or before the 15th day prior to an election, or as otherwise specified.

Existing law, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, authorizes a person who is at least 17 years of age and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements to submit his or her affidavit of registration. The affidavit of registration is deemed effective as of the date the affiant will be 18 years of age.

This bill would permit the begin delete governing board of a school district to authorize a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to register to vote on his or her high school campus any person who is qualified to register to vote. This bill, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, would also permit a pupil to register to vote any person who is 17 years of age or older and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements. end delete begin insert school administration of a high school to appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach coordinators. This bill would permit a voter outreach coordinator to coordinate voter registration activities on the high school campus that would encourage eligible persons to apply to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration. This bill would permit the voter outreach coordinator, with the approval of the school administration, to coordinate other election-related activities on his or her high school campus, as specified. end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 49040 of the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert is amended
to read: end insert

49040.  

The last two full weeks in April and the last two full
weeks in September shall be known as “high school voter begin insert education end insert
weeks,” during which time begin delete deputy registrars of voters end delete begin insert persons
authorized by the county elections official end insert shall be allowed to
register students and school personnel on any high school campus
in areas designated by the school administration, which are
reasonably accessible to all students.

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begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

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begin insert Section 49041 is added to the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

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begin insert 49041. end insert   

(a) The school administration of a high school may
appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school
to be voter outreach coordinators.

(b) A voter outreach coordinator may coordinate voter
registration activities on his or her high school campus that
encourage persons who are eligible to register to vote pursuant
to Section 2101 of the Elections Code, or other persons who may
submit an affidavit of registration pursuant to Section 2102 of the
Elections Code, to apply to register to vote by submitting an
affidavit of registration on paper or electronically on the Secretary
of State’s electronic voter registration system.

(c) A voter outreach coordinator may, with the approval of the
school administration, coordinate election-related activities on
his or her high school campus, including voter registration drives,
mock elections, debates, and other election-related pupil outreach
activities.

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SECTION 1.  

Section 49041 is added to the Education Code,
to read:

49041.  

(a) The governing board of a school district may
authorize a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to register
to vote any person who is entitled to register pursuant to Section
2101 of the Elections Code. A pupil authorized pursuant to this
section shall conduct voter registration on his or her high school
campus only during high school voter weeks, as described in
Section 49040, or at any other time deemed appropriate by the
governing board.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until the Secretary
of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration
database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15301 et seq.) and as
of that date is repealed.

SEC. 2.  

Section 49041 is added to the Education Code, to read:

49041.  

(a) The governing board of a school district may
authorize a high school pupil 16 years of age or older to register
to vote any person who is entitled to register pursuant to Section
2101 of the Elections Code, or who is 17 years of age or older and
otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements as specified in
subdivision (d) of Section 2102 of the Elections Code. A pupil
authorized pursuant to this section shall conduct voter registration
on his or her high school campus only during high school voter
weeks, as described in Section 49040, or at any other time deemed
appropriate by the governing board.

(b) This section shall become operative when the Secretary of
State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration
database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 15301 et seq.).

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