AB 837: No party preference voters: partisan primary elections.

Existing law requires a voter to disclose a preference for a political party in order to participate in the political partys primary election. Existing law permits a voter who has declined to disclose a political party preference to request the ballot of a political party at a partisan primary election if the political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a voter who has declined to disclose a political party preference to vote the ballot of the political party at that election. Existing law requires the voter registration card, the vote by mail application, and the state voter information guide to notify voters that a voter is not entitled to vote the ballot of a political party at a partisan primary election unless he or she has disclosed a preference for the political party or he or she has declined to disclose a political party preference and the political party has authorized a voter who has declined to disclose a preference to vote its ballot.

Existing law generally requires the Secretary of State to prepare certain election materials. Existing law requires an elections official to furnish the precinct officers with specified supplies for an election.

This bill would require the Secretary of State, a county elections official, and the members of a precinct board to provide information to voters, as specified, relating to the ability of a voter who has declined to disclose a political party preference to vote a political partys ballot at a partisan primary election. The bill would require the Secretary of State and a county elections official to prepare and print specified notices and other materials.

By imposing additional duties on local elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 14105 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 286 to be operative only if this bill and SB 286 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

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.