SB 439: Election procedures.

(1)Existing law permits a county elections official to offer conditional voter registration and provisional voting on election day at satellite offices of the county elections office, as specified.

This bill would also allow a county elections official to offer conditional voter registration and provisional voting at satellite offices other than on election day.

(2)Existing law requires each precinct board to keep a roster of voters who voted at the precinct, as specified. Existing law also requires an elections official to furnish to the precinct officers, among other things, printed copies of the index to the affidavits of registration for that precinct.

This bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt and publish electronic poll book standards and regulations governing the certification and use of electronic poll books, as defined. The bill would require that the electronic poll book include specified voter registration data. The bill would prohibit the use of an electronic poll book unless it has been certified by the secretary.

(3)Existing law requires the secretary to adopt regulations (A) governing the manufacture, finishing, quality standards, distribution, and inventory control of ballot cards and (B) requiring the biennial inspection of the manufacturing, finishing, and storage facilities involving ballot cards. Existing law requires the secretary to also approve each ballot card manufacturer or finisher before a manufacturer or finisher provides ballot cards for use in California elections.

This bill would require the secretary to adopt regulations (A) governing ballot on demand systems, as defined, and (B) for purposes of certifying ballot on demand systems. The bill, for commercial ballot manufacturers and finishers, would require the secretary to require a biennial inspection of the certified manufacturing, finishing, and storage facilities. The bill would also require the secretary to approve each ballot on demand system before the system is deployed for use in California elections. The bill would prohibit a jurisdiction from purchasing, leasing, or contracting for, and a vendor, company, or person from selling, leasing, or contracting with a jurisdiction for, a ballot on demand system unless the ballot on demand system has been certified by the secretary.