SB 240,
as amended, Yee. begin deletePolling placesend deletebegin insert Vote by mail ballot drop boxesend insert: higher education campuses.
(1) Existing law requires elections officials to establish a convenient number of election precincts and designate a polling place for each precinct. Under existing law, the local elections official may request the use of school buildings as polling places.
end delete(1) Existing law sets forth procedures for processing vote by mail ballots and requires that all vote by mail ballots cast be received by the elections official or by the precinct board no later than the close of polls on election day.
end insertThis bill would, for
statewide general and primary elections conducted by a county or city and county, require the county or city and county elections official to establishbegin delete polling placesend deletebegin insert vote by mail ballot drop boxes, as defined,end insert within each campus of the California State University and the University of California, and would require the elections official to establishbegin delete polling placesend deletebegin insert vote by mail ballot drop boxesend insert within each community college if convenient for voters. The bill would not apply to counties orbegin delete cityend deletebegin insert
citiesend insert and counties that have a population of fewer than 150,000 people. The bill would require the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to provide access for the use of their campuses asbegin delete polling placesend deletebegin insert vote by mail ballot drop box sitesend insert.begin insert The bill would require the Secretary of State to assist elections officials by providing recommendations and guidelines regarding the placement and security of vote by mail ballot drop boxes.end insert By requiring county and city and county elections officials to perform new duties, and the California Community Colleges to provide access asbegin delete polling placesend deletebegin insert
vote by mail ballot drop box sitesend insert, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) 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 12289 is added to the Elections Code, to
2read:
(a) For each statewide general election and each
4statewide primary election conducted by a county or a city and
5county, the county or city and county elections official shall do
6both of the following:
7(1) Establish at least one polling place within each campus of
8the California State University and the University of California
9within the jurisdiction of the county or city and county.
10(2) Consider establishing at least one polling place within each
11community college within the jurisdiction
of the county or city
12and county, and establish that polling place if the elections official
13determines a polling place at the college would be convenient for
14voters.
15(b) This section does not apply to a county or city and county
16that has a population of fewer than 150,000 people.
P3 1(c) The California State University and the California
2Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is
3requested to, provide access for use of their campuses as polling
4places. This section does not apply to a campus of the University
5of California if the campus refuses a request for access
to the
6campus as a polling place.
begin insertSection 3025 is added to the end insertbegin insertElections Codeend insertbegin insert, to
8read:end insert
(a) For purposes of this section, “vote by mail ballot
10drop box” means a secure receptacle established by a county or
11city and county elections official whereby a voted vote by mail
12ballot may be returned to the elections official from whom it was
13obtained.
14(b) For each statewide general election and each statewide
15primary election conducted by a county or a city and county, the
16county or city and county elections official shall do both of the
17following:
18(1) Establish at least one vote by mail ballot drop box within
19each campus of the California State University and the University
20of California within the jurisdiction of the county or city and
21county.
22(2) Consider establishing at least one vote by mail ballot drop
23box within each community college within the jurisdiction of the
24county or city and county, and establish that vote by mail ballot
25drop box if the elections official determines that a vote by mail
26ballot drop box at the college would be convenient for voters.
27(c) This section does not apply to a county or city and county
28that has a population of fewer than 150,000 people.
29(d) The California State University and the California
30Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is
31requested to, provide access for use of their campuses as a vote
32by mail ballot drop box site. This section does not apply to a
33campus of the University of California if the campus refuses a
34request for access to the campus as a vote by mail ballot drop box
35site.
36(e) The Secretary of State shall assist elections officials by
37providing recommendations and guidelines regarding the
38placement and security of vote by mail ballot drop boxes.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
40this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
P4 1local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
2pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
34 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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