Elections: ballot curing., the official text

An act to add Section 3019.2 to the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the identification envelope with either the signature appearing on the voter’s affidavit or signature appearing on a form that is part of the voter’s registration record. Existing law requires an elections official, if it is determined that the signatures do not compare, to notify the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter’s signature. Under existing law, if an elections official has a telephone number or email address on file for a voter whose signature does not compare, the elections official is required to notify the voter by telephone, text message, or email, as specified. Existing law requires a county elections official to establish a free access system that allows a vote by mail voter to learn if the voter’s vote by mail ballot was counted, as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to maintain a system to allow a vote by mail voter to track the voter’s vote by mail ballot through the mail system, as specified.
This bill would require the Secretary of State to implement and make available to county elections officials a system that allows voters to access electronic signature curing, as defined. The bill would require the Secretary of State to make available on its internet website specified data regarding voters’ use of the system.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 3019.2 is added to the Elections Code, to read:
3019.2.
(a) The Secretary of State shall implement and make available to county elections officials a system that allows voters to access electronic signature curing.
(b) For purposes of this section, “signature curing” means following the procedures described in subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3019.
(c) Any service provided pursuant to subdivision (a) shall ensure data privacy and security for voters.
(d) The Secretary of State shall make available on its internet website data relating to this program, including, by county: the number of voters who cured missing signatures or signatures that do not compare, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 3019, using electronic signature curing and the number of voters to whom electronic signature curing was offered.
(e) The Secretary of State may combine the system described in this section with the systems described in Sections 3019.5 and 3019.7.