Bill Text: CA SB970 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 970

Bill Title: Military or overseas voters.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)

Status: (Engrossed) 2026-07-01 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [SB970 Detail]

Download: California-2025-SB970-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate May 21, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 970

Introduced by Senator Cervantes

February 03, 2026

An act to amend Section 3101 of the Elections Code, relating to voting.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 970, as amended, Cervantes. Military or overseas voters.

Existing law regulates the voting procedures for military or overseas voters to register to vote, to apply for voting ballots, and to vote. Existing law requires, among other things, unvoted voting materials to be electronically transmitted to a military or overseas voter.

This bill would require the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations to facilitate the secure return of ballots from military or overseas voters delivered through secure ~~electronic transmission~~ methods.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Section 3101 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

3101.

(a) The Secretary of State shall see that this chapter is enforced pursuant to Section 12172.5 of the Government Code.

(b) The Secretary of State shall make available to any person who qualifies as a military or overseas voter information regarding voter registration procedures for military or overseas voters and procedures for casting ballots by military or overseas voters.

(c) The Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations to facilitate the secure return of ballots from military or overseas voters delivered through secure ~~electronic transmission~~ methods.

(d) The elections official for each district shall ensure that their jurisdiction has available a system that would allow a military or overseas voter to electronically request a ballot and other information pursuant to this chapter.

(e) The Secretary of State shall develop standardized military or overseas voter voting materials as required by this chapter.

(f) The Secretary of State shall prescribe the form and content of a declaration for use by a military or overseas voter to swear or affirm specific representations pertaining to the voter’s identity, eligibility to vote, and status as a military or overseas voter, and shall further prescribe requirements for the timely and proper completion of a military or overseas voter’s ballot. The declaration shall be based on the declaration prescribed to accompany a federal write-in absentee ballot, as modified to be consistent with this chapter. The elections official for each jurisdiction shall ensure that a form for the execution of the declaration, including an indication of the date of execution of the declaration, is a prominent part of all balloting materials for which the declaration is required.