SB 77: Voting: signature verification: notice.

Existing law requires a county elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the voters signature appearing on specified voter registration records. If the elections official determines that the signatures do not match, or if the identification envelope does not contain a signature, existing law requires the elections official to mail a notice to the voter, no later than 8 days before the certification of the election, of the opportunity to verify the voters signature or provide a signature, as applicable.

This bill would require the elections official to additionally notify the voter by telephone, a text message, or email, if the elections official has a telephone number or email address for the voter on file. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 1037 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1037 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.