Bill Text: CA SB970 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Primary election date.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-09-18 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 111, Statutes of 2020. [SB970 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB970-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  March 17, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 970

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Introduced by Senator Umberg

February 11, 2020

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An act to amend Section 2150 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.An act to amend Sections 316, 340, 1000, 1001, 1201, and 1202 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 970, as amended, Umberg. Voter registration: affidavit of registration.Primary election date.

Existing law requires that the statewide direct primary be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March in each even-numbered year. Existing law requires that the presidential primary be held on that same date in any year that is evenly divisible by 4.

This bill would change the date of the statewide direct primary to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in even-numbered years in which there is no presidential primary.

Existing law authorizes an eligible person to be registered as a voter in the state if the person completes and executes an affidavit of registration. Existing law specifies the contents of the affidavit of registration, which includes the affiant’s driver’s license number, if the affiant has been issued a current and valid driver’s license.

This bill would require the affidavit of registration to instead show the affiant’s driver’s license number if the affiant has a current and valid California driver’s license. The bill would also require the affidavit of registration to show the affiant’s state identification card number if the affiant has a current and valid state identification card.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Section 316 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

316.

 (a)“Direct primary” is the primary election held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March June in each even-numbered year. year that is not evenly divisible by four and on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March in each even-numbered year that is evenly divisible by four.

(b)This section shall become operative January 1, 2019.

SEC. 2.

 Section 340 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

340.

 (a)“Presidential primary” is the primary election that is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of any year that is evenly divisible by four.

(b)This section shall become operative January 1, 2019.

SEC. 3.

 Section 1000 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

1000.

 The established election dates are as follows:

(a) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each year.

(b) The second Tuesday of April in each even-numbered year.

(c) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in June in each even-numbered year.

(c)

(d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each year.

SEC. 4.

 Section 1001 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

1001.

 The following are statewide elections and their dates are statewide election dates:

(a) An election held in November of an even-numbered year.

(b) An election held in March June of an even-numbered year. year that is not evenly divisible by four and in March of each even-numbered year that is evenly divisible by four.

(c)This section shall become operative January 1, 2019.

SEC. 5.

 Section 1201 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

1201.

 (a)The statewide direct primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March June of each even-numbered year. year that is not evenly divisible by four and on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March in each even-numbered year that is evenly divisible by four.

(b)This section shall become operative January 1, 2019.

SEC. 6.

 Section 1202 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

1202.

 (a)The presidential primary shall be consolidated with the statewide direct primary in any year that is evenly divisible by four, and the consolidated primary shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March.

(b)This section shall become operative January 1, 2019.

SECTION 1.Section 2150 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

2150.

(a)The affidavit of registration shall show:

(1)The facts necessary to establish the affiant as an elector.

(2)The affiant’s name at length, including the affiant’s given name, and a middle name or initial, or if the initial of the given name is customarily used, then the initial and middle name. The affiant’s given name may be preceded, at the affiant’s option, by the designation of “Miss,” “Ms.,” “Mrs.,” or “Mr.” A person shall not be denied the right to register because of the person’s failure to mark a prefix to the given name and shall be so advised on the voter registration card. This subdivision shall not be construed as requiring the printing of prefixes on an affidavit of registration.

(3)The affiant’s place of residence, residence telephone number, if furnished, and email address, if furnished. A person shall not be denied the right to register because of the person’s failure to furnish a telephone number or email address, and shall be so advised on the voter registration card.

(4)The affiant’s mailing address, if different from the place of residence.

(5)The affiant’s date of birth to establish that the affiant will be at least 18 years of age on or before the date of the next election. In the case of an affidavit of registration submitted pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2102, the affiant’s date of birth to establish that the affiant is at least 16 years of age.

(6)The state or country of the affiant’s birth.

(7)(A)In the case of an affiant who has been issued a current and valid California driver’s license or state identification card, the affiant’s driver’s license or identification card number.

(B)In the case of any other affiant, other than an affiant to whom subparagraph (C) applies, the last four digits of the affiant’s social security number.

(C)If a voter registration affiant has not been issued a current and valid California driver’s license or state identification card or a social security number, the state shall assign the affiant a number that will serve to identify the affiant for voter registration purposes. If the state has a computerized list in effect under this paragraph and the list assigns unique identifying numbers to registrants, the number assigned under this subparagraph shall be the unique identifying number assigned under the list.

(8)The affiant’s political party preference.

(9)That the affiant is currently not imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony.

(10)A prior registration portion indicating whether the affiant has been registered at another address, under another name, or as preferring another party. If the affiant has been so registered, the affiant shall give an additional statement giving that address, name, or party.

(b)The affiant shall certify the content of the affidavit of registration as to its truthfulness and correctness, under penalty of perjury, with the signature of the affiant’s name and the date of signing. If the affiant is unable to write, the affiant shall sign with a mark or cross. An affiant who is an individual with a disability may complete the affidavit with reasonable accommodations as needed.

(c)The affidavit of registration shall also contain a space that would enable the affiant to state the affiant’s ethnicity or race, or both. An affiant shall not be denied the ability to register because the affiant declines to state the affiant’s ethnicity or race.

(d)If a person assists the affiant in completing the affidavit of registration, that person shall sign and date the affidavit below the signature of the affiant.

(e)The affidavit of registration shall also contain a space to permit the affiant to apply for permanent vote by mail status.

(f)The Secretary of State may continue to supply existing affidavits of registration to county elections officials before printing new or revised forms that reflect the changes made to this section by Chapter 508 of the Statutes of 2007.