AB 477 — Elections: ballots and the Green Party.

Summary

(1) Upon receipt of a vote by mail ballot and to determine if the signatures compare, existing law requires an elections official to compare the signature on the identification envelope with either (A) the signature appearing on the voter's affidavit of registration or a previous affidavit of registration of the voter, or (B) the signature appearing on a form issued by an elections official that contains the voter's signature, that is part of the voter's registration record, and that the elections official has determined compares with the signature on the voter's affidavit of registration or a previous affidavit of registration of the voter. If the signatures do not compare, existing law requires the identification envelope to not be opened, the ballot to not be counted, and the cause of the rejection to be written on the face of the identification envelope. This bill would strike the requirement that an elections official, in comparing the signatures on the identification envelope, as described in (B) above, determine that the signature appearing on a form issued by the elections official that contains the voter's signature compares with the signature on the voter's affidavit of registration or a previous affidavit of registration of the voter. If an elections official determines that a voter has failed to sign the identification envelope, the bill would prohibit the elections official from rejecting the vote by mail ballot if the voter signs the identification envelope at the elections official's office before 5 p.m. on the 8th day after the election, completes and submits an unsigned ballot statement, as specified, before 5 p.m. on the 8th day after the election, or completes and submits an unsigned ballot statement to a polling place within the county or a ballot dropoff box before the close of the polls on election day. The bill would require the elections official to accept any completed unsigned ballot statement. The bill would require the elections official, upon receipt of the unsigned ballot statement, to compare the voter's signature on the statement, as described above, and, if the signatures compare, would require the elections official to attach the statement to the identification envelope and deposit the ballot, still in the identification envelope, in a ballot container in his or her office. The bill would require the identification envelope to not be opened and the ballot to not be counted if the elections official determines that the signatures do not compare. The bill would also require an elections official to include the unsigned ballot statement and instructions, and certain contact information, on his or her Internet Web site. By requiring elections officials to take additional actions related to vote by mail ballots, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law provides for specific procedures by which the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the American Independent Party, and the Peace and Freedom Party participate in the presidential primary. This bill would establish the procedures by which the Green Party would participate in the presidential primary. Existing law authorizes the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the American Independent Party, and the Peace and Freedom Party to each elect county central committees. Existing law establishes state central committees for the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the American Independent Party, and the Peace and Freedom Party. This bill would authorize the Green Party to establish, by election, county councils. The bill would also establish a state coordinating committee for the Green Party. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code, proposed by AB 1020, that would become operative only if AB 1020 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last. (4) 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 these statutory provisions.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/10/15 - Chaptered Current pdf October 10, 2015
• Enrolled 09/14/15 - Enrolled pdf September 14, 2015
• Amended 09/01/15 - Amended Senate pdf September 01, 2015
• Amended 08/31/15 - Amended Senate pdf August 31, 2015
• Amended 07/01/15 - Amended Senate pdf July 01, 2015
• Amended 04/08/15 - Amended Assembly pdf April 08, 2015
• Introduced 02/23/15 - Introduced pdf February 23, 2015
• AB477 View text html

Action History

1. October 10, 2015

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 726, Statutes of 2015.

2. October 10, 2015

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 18, 2015

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. September 10, 2015

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 50. Noes 30. Page 3086.).

5. September 09, 2015

   From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (September 9).

6. September 04, 2015

   Re-referred to Com. on E. & R. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.

7. September 03, 2015

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 5 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

8. September 03, 2015

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 26. Noes 14. Page 2484.).

9. September 02, 2015

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

10. September 01, 2015

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

11. August 31, 2015

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.

12. August 27, 2015

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 27).

13. August 17, 2015

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

14. July 08, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

15. July 01, 2015

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

16. June 24, 2015

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

17. June 08, 2015

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

18. May 28, 2015

    Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

19. May 14, 2015

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

20. May 14, 2015

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 50. Noes 29. Page 1430.)

21. April 30, 2015

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

22. April 29, 2015

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 5.) (April 29).

23. April 15, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

24. April 09, 2015

    Re-referred to Com. on E. & R.

25. April 08, 2015

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E. & R. Read second time and amended.

26. March 05, 2015

    Referred to Com. on E. & R.

27. February 24, 2015

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 26.

28. February 23, 2015

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Mullin · Primary

Votes

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