Bill Text: CA AB2177 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Early voting.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-08-14 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2177 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB2177-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2177 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 1, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 23, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 25, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Brown
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Levine, Nazarian, Pan, and Williams)
(Coauthors: Senators Padilla and Yee)
FEBRUARY 20, 2014
An act to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3300) to Division
3 of the Elections Code, relating to voting.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2177, as amended, Brown. Early voting.
Existing law establishes procedures for voters to apply for a vote
by mail ballot and use the ballot to vote in an election. Existing
law allows a jurisdiction in which vote by mail ballots are cast to
begin processing vote by mail ballots 29 days before the election.
This bill would require the Secretary of State to provide guidance
to local elections officials in performing specified tasks for the
purpose of promoting and expanding the practice of early voting, as
defined, consistent with specified statutory authority. The bill
would define "early voting" to mean voting a vote by mail ballot in
person at the office of the elections official or another location
designated by the elections official either before or on the day of
the election.
The bill would allow county elections officials to apply for
funding to provide early voting. If a county obtains funding
sufficient to satisfy all associated costs, the bill would require an
elections official, on at least one Saturday and Sunday on or after
the date the elections official first delivers ballots to vote by
mail voters for a statewide election, or for any other election as
determined by the elections official based on voter demand, to allow
voters to vote in the election by means of early voting at the early
voting location designated for this purpose, provided that the
location is accessible and complies with disability access
requirements under federal and state law. The bill would permit the
elections official to determine the hours of operation for the
designated early voting location or locations for each Saturday and
Sunday on which early voting is offered, provided that each location
shall be open to voters for a minimum of 6 hours on each designated
Saturday and Sunday. These provisions regarding Saturday and Sunday
voting would not apply to elections conducted wholly by mail or to
precincts in which each voter is furnished with a vote by mail
ballot, as specified.
This bill would become operative on January 1, 2016.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act to make voting more convenient and accessible in order to
increase voter turnout at elections.
SEC. 2. Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 3300) is added to
Division 3 of the Elections Code, to read:
CHAPTER 4. EARLY VOTING
3300. For purposes of this chapter, "early voting" means voting a
vote by mail ballot in person at the office of the elections
official or another location designated by the elections official
either before or on the day of the election.
3301. For purposes of promoting and expanding the practice of
early voting consistent with the authority granted by this division,
the Secretary of State shall provide guidance to local elections
officials in accomplishing all of the following:
(a) Establishing one or more locations for early voting, which may
include the office of the local elections official.
(b) Notifying voters of the early voting location or locations.
(c) Ensuring that the early voting location or locations and the
procedures used therein comply with disability access requirements
under federal and state law.
3302. (a) Each county elections official may apply to
for funding from any private or public source,
including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State for
funding from the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C.
Sec. 15301 et seq.) , to provide early voting pursuant to
this chapter. If a county obtains funding sufficient to satisfy all
associated costs, the elections official shall provide early voting
pursuant to subdivision (b). If a county does not obtain funding
sufficient to satisfy all associated costs, the elections official
may, but is not required to, provide early voting pursuant to
subdivision (b).
(b) If early voting is provided pursuant to subdivision (a), on at
least one Saturday and Sunday on or after the date an elections
official first delivers ballots to vote by mail voters for a
statewide election, or for any other election as determined by the
elections official based on voter demand, the elections official
shall allow voters to vote in the election by means of early voting
at an early voting location designated for this purpose, provided
that the location is accessible and complies with disability access
requirements under federal and state law. The elections official may
determine the hours of operation for the designated early voting
location or locations for each Saturday and Sunday on which early
voting is offered pursuant to this section, provided that each
location shall be open to voters for a minimum of six hours on each
designated Saturday and Sunday.
(c) Subdivision (b) does not apply to elections conducted wholly
by mail or to a precinct in which each voter is furnished a vote by
mail ballot pursuant to Section 3005.
SEC. 3. This act shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
