Elections: provisional ballots.

Existing law authorizes a voter claiming to be registered, to vote a provisional ballot if his or her qualification or entitlement to vote cannot be immediately established. Under existing law, once voted, the ballot is sealed in a provisional ballot envelope, and during the official canvass, the signature on the envelope is compared with the one on the voter's affidavit of registration, and the ballot is rejected if the 2 signatures do not compare. This bill would additionally require that the provisional ballot be rejected if the provisional ballot envelope is not signed. The bill would also require that elections officials retain voted provisional ballots and their envelopes for a specified period after the election. Because the bill would increase the duties of local elections officials, it would impose 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 these statutory provisions.