Elections: primary election ballots.

(1) Existing law requires an elections official to provide a sufficient number of official ballots in each precinct to reasonably meet the needs of the voters in that precinct on election day using the precinct's voter turnout history as the criterion, but in no case shall the number of official ballots be less than 75% of registered voters in the precinct, and to provide the additional number of ballots that may be necessary for vote by mail and emergency purposes. This bill would also require an elections official to provide a sufficient number of ballots of each qualified political party in each precinct to reasonably meet the needs of the voters not registered as intending to affiliate with any one of the political parties participating in the election who request a partisan ballot. (2) Under existing law, before each voter enters the voting booth, the precinct board is required to inform him or her how to operate the voting device. If a marking or punching device is used, the voter must be instructed to use only that device. Also, the voter is instructed how to fold the ballot and place it in the envelope. If any voter, after entering the booth, asks for information regarding the operation of the machine or device, the precinct board must give him or her the information. The bill would additionally require the precinct board, before each voter not registered as intending to affiliate with any one of the political parties participating in the election enters the voting booth, to provide a notice to the voter at a primary election that identifies those ballots that the voter is eligible to cast at that election and to provide the voter with any eligible ballot they request. The bill would also require that the notice given by the precinct board be translated into a language other than English in accordance with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and existing state law. (3) By requiring a higher level of service from local elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (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.