Signed by Governor Jerry Brown, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day.

Highlights:

• Establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day, whereas existing law prohibits individuals from registering to vote less than 15 days prior to an election (Secs. 1 & 2).

• Specifies that individuals who register to vote during the conditional voter registration period will cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted by election officials if the voter’s registration is determined to be valid during a 30-day canvas period following Election Day (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that an individual’s conditional voter registration is valid if the information he or she provided on the registration matches information in the database maintained by the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Administration (Sec. 2).

• Requires an election official to provide conditional voter registration and provisional voting at all the permanent offices of the county elections official (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the following criminal penalties for conditional voter registration fraud (Sec. 2):
• Up to 1 year in county jail;
• A fine of no more than $25,000; or
• Both.

• Establishes a civil penalty for conditional voter registration fraud of not more than $25,000 (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that this bill will be effective after the Secretary of State certifies that a state-wide voter registration database is established and is in compliance with federal regulations (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day.

Highlights:

• Establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day, whereas existing law prohibits individuals from registering to vote less than 15 days prior to an election (Secs. 1 & 2).

• Specifies that individuals who register to vote during the conditional voter registration period will cast a provisional ballot that will only be counted by election officials if the voter’s registration is determined to be valid during a 30-day canvas period following Election Day (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that an individual’s conditional voter registration is valid if the information he or she provided on the registration matches information in the database maintained by the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Administration (Sec. 2).

• Requires an election official to provide conditional voter registration and provisional voting at all the permanent offices of the county elections official (Sec. 2).

• Establishes the following criminal penalties for conditional voter registration fraud (Sec. 2):
• Up to 1 year in county jail;
• A fine of no more than $25,000; or
• Both.

• Establishes a civil penalty for conditional voter registration fraud of not more than $25,000 (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that this bill will be effective after the Secretary of State certifies that a state-wide voter registration database is established and is in compliance with federal regulations (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day.

Highlights:

• Establishes a conditional voter registration period that begins 2 weeks prior to Election Day and continues through Election Day, whereas existing law prohibited individuals from registering to vote less than 15 days prior to an election (Secs. 1 & 2).

• Specifies that individuals who register to vote during the conditional voter registration period and subsequently vote are casting a provisional ballot, and that county election officials must verify that the individual is eligible to vote before the provisional ballot can be counted (Sec. 2).

• Requires an election official to provide conditional voter registration and provisional voting at all the permanent offices of the county elections official (Sec. 2).

• Increases the fine for election-related felonies from $10,000 to $25,000 (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill go into effect January 1 of the year after the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a computerized statewide voter registration database that complies with the Help America Vote Act (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text