California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate

SB 718 — Elections: official canvass: unprocessed ballots.

Last action — July 5 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law requires a county elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the voter's 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 notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter's signature or provide a signature, as applicable. Existing law requires the elections official to accept the voter's ballot if the voter verifies the signature or provides a signature by no later than 2 days before the certification of the election. Existing law requires county elections officials during the official canvass period following an election to send reports to the Secretary of State regarding the number of unprocessed ballots. This bill would require county elections officials to include in those reports the number of vote by mail ballots that have been processed but not counted because the identification envelope is missing the voter's signature or has a signature that does not compare to the signature on file. This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to make public the information contained in those reports. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would create 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. July 5 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

  2. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

  3. June 21 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 2. Noes 0.) Reconsideration granted.

  4. Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

  5. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  6. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 1304.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  7. Ordered to special consent calendar.

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1181.) (May 18).

  10. Set for hearing May 18.

  11. April 10 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  12. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  13. Set for hearing April 10.

  14. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  15. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 424.) (March 21).

  16. Set for hearing March 21.

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

  18. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 19.

  19. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Wilk · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Wilk

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Failed 2 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Unaffiliated 1001
Democratic 0005
Total 2006
% of votes cast 25%0%0%75%
How each member voted (8)
Member Party Vote
Essayli — Yea
Low — Not Voting
Bennett, Steve Democratic Not Voting
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Not Voting
Lee, Alex Democratic Not Voting
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Not Voting
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Not Voting
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Special Consent

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 22000
Republican 7000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

elections
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 718 do?
Existing law requires a county elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the voter's 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 notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter's signature or provide a signature, as applicable. Existing law requires the elections official to accept the voter's ballot if the voter verifies the signature or provides a signature by no later than 2 days before the certification of the election. Existing law requires county elections officials during the official canvass period following an election to send reports to the Secretary of State regarding the number of unprocessed ballots. This bill would require county elections officials to include in those reports the number of vote by mail ballots that have been processed but not counted because the identification envelope is missing the voter's signature or has a signature that does not compare to the signature on file. This bill would additionally require the Secretary of State to make public the information contained in those reports. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would create 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.
Who sponsors SB 718?
SB 718 is sponsored by Wilk.
What is the current status of SB 718?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 718?
Track SB 718 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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