AB 626: Voting: returning vote by mail ballots in person.

Existing law authorizes any county to conduct an election as an all-mailed ballot election if certain requirements are met, including that the county establishes vote centers throughout the county for voters to, among other things, vote and return the voters vote by mail ballot. Under existing law, a person who votes a vote by mail ballot is required to place the ballot in the identification envelope provided to the voter, sign the envelope, and return the ballot by mail or in person.

This bill would authorize a voter to vote their vote by mail ballot without the identification envelope if the voter returns the ballot in person at the polling place designated for the voters home precinct or a vote center, if specified conditions are met. The bill would require a ballot cast in this manner to be processed and counted like a nonprovisional ballot cast in person at the polling place or vote center. By imposing additional duties on county elections officials, this 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.