SB 1171: Electors: conditional voter registration.

(1)Existing law authorizes an elector who complies with specified provisions governing the registration of electors to vote at an election held within the territory within which he or she resides and the election is held. Existing law defines elector to mean a person who is a United States citizen 18 years of age or older and, except as specified, is a resident of an election precinct at least 15 days before an election.

Existing law prohibits an elector from being registered as a voter except by affidavit of registration received by the county elections official on or before the 15th day before an election. However, existing law authorizes a person who is otherwise qualified to register to vote to complete a conditional voter registration and cast a provisional ballot during the 14 days immediately preceding an election or on election day.

This bill would revise the definition of elector by deleting the 15-day requirement, thereby including a person who is eligible to complete a conditional voter registration within the definition of elector.

(2)Existing law establishes the procedures for determining whether a conditional voter registration is deemed effective. Existing law requires that a voted provisional ballot be sealed in a provisional ballot envelope, which is substantially similar to, and completed in the same manner as, an envelope used for a vote by mail ballot.

This bill would authorize a county elections official to use a provisional ballot envelope as an affidavit of registration, as specified.