Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that authorizes vote by mail absentee ballots for the upcoming general election.

Highlights:

• Requires county election officials to begin mailing election materials to every voter in the county 29 days before the day of the November 3, 2020 election (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the county elections official will have 5 days to mail a ballot to each person who is registered to vote 29 days before the day of the election and 5 days to mail a ballot to each person who is registered to vote (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the county elections official cannot discriminate against any region or precinct in the county in choosing which ballots to mail first within the 5-day mailing period (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the distribution of vote by mail ballots to all registered voters does not prevent a voter from voting in person at a polling place or other authorized locations (Sec 2).

• Authorizes the county elections official to permit any voter to cast a ballot using a certified remote accessible vote by mail system, regardless of whether the voter is a voter with disabilities or overseas voter for the statewide general election on November 3, 2020 (Sec 3).

• Requires the Secretary of State to establish a system that allows a voter to register to receive information via email or text from the county elections official about the status of the voter’s vote by mail ballot, including the following information (Sec 4):

• A notification when the ballot has been delivered by the county elections official to the United States Postal Service (USPS);

• A notification of the date, based on information from the USPS that the voter’s ballot is expected to be delivered to the voter;

• A notification if the voter’s ballot is returned as undeliverable to the county elections official by the USPS;

• A notification when the voter’s completed ballot has been received by the county elections official;

• A notification that the voter’s completed ballot has been counted, or, if the ballot cannot be counted, a reason that the ballot cannot be counted, and instructions of any steps that the voter can take in order to have the ballot counted; and

• A reminder of the deadline for the voter to return to the voter’s ballot if the county elections official has not received a voter’s completed ballot by specified dates.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that authorizes vote by mail absentee ballots for the upcoming general election.

Highlights:

• Requires county election officials to begin mailing election materials to every voter in the county 29 days before the day of the November 3, 2020 election (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the county elections official will have 5 days to mail a ballot to each person who is registered to vote 29 days before the day of the election and 5 days to mail a ballot to each person who is registered to vote (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the county elections official cannot discriminate against any region or precinct in the county in choosing which ballots to mail first within the 5-day mailing period (Sec 2).

• Specifies that the distribution of vote by mail ballots to all registered voters does not prevent a voter from voting in person at a polling place or other authorized locations (Sec 2).

• Authorizes the county elections official to permit any voter to cast a ballot using a certified remote accessible vote by mail system, regardless of whether the voter is a voter with disabilities or overseas voter for the statewide general election on November 3, 2020 (Sec 3).

• Requires the Secretary of State to establish a system that allows a voter to register to receive information via email or text from the county elections official about the status of the voter’s vote by mail ballot, including the following information (Sec 4):

• A notification when the ballot has been delivered by the county elections official to the United States Postal Service (USPS);

• A notification of the date, based on information from the USPS that the voter’s ballot is expected to be delivered to the voter;

• A notification if the voter’s ballot is returned as undeliverable to the county elections official by the USPS;

• A notification when the voter’s completed ballot has been received by the county elections official;

• A notification that the voter’s completed ballot has been counted, or, if the ballot cannot be counted, a reason that the ballot cannot be counted, and instructions of any steps that the voter can take in order to have the ballot counted; and

• A reminder of the deadline for the voter to return to the voter’s ballot if the county elections official has not received a voter’s completed ballot by specified dates.

Full Bill Text