AB 5: Elections: official canvass.

Existing law requires elections officials to commence the canvass for an election no later than the Thursday following the election and to make the canvass open to the public. Existing law requires the canvass to be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than six hours each day until completed. Existing law requires elections officials to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election within 30 days of the election and to send the Secretary of State a complete copy of all election results within 31 days of the election. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote no later than the 38th day after the election.

This bill would require elections officials, on or before the 13th day following an election, to finish counting all ballots, with certain exceptions, including provisional ballots and ballots for which the voter must either verify or provide a signature, and release a vote count for those ballots. If an elections official will not meet that deadline, they would be required to file a notice of extension, including the reason for the extension, with the Secretary of State. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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 the statutory provisions noted above.