Voter registration agencies.

Existing law, the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993, requires each state to establish procedures to register voters by application in person at certain federal, state, or nongovernmental agencies designated by state law as voter registration agencies. This bill would establish procedures to register voters in accordance with the act, and would require voter registration agencies to perform specified tasks related to voter registration. This bill would require the Secretary of State and county elections officials to coordinate with the voter registration agencies, as specified. Existing law requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with county elections officials, to design and make available on his or her Internet Web site an affidavit of voter registration. Existing law, the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993, provides for state departments of motor vehicles to make voter registration information and materials available to an applicant for a driver's license and other vehicular documents. Existing state law provides that a person who is qualified to register to vote and who has a valid California driver's license or state identification card may submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State. Existing state law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of State to develop a process and the infrastructure to allow a person who is qualified to register to vote in the state to register to vote online. This bill would require a voter registration agency that allows a person to apply online for service or assistance, or to submit a recertification, renewal, or change of address form relating to the service or assistance, to implement a process and the infrastructure that allows an applicant to electronically submit a voter preference form, as defined, and to submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State. This bill also would require the California Health Benefit Exchange, no later than July 1, 2014, to implement a process and the infrastructure to allow a person who applies online for service or assistance, or who submits a recertification, renewal, or change of address form relating to the voter registration service or assistance online, to submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State. By requiring additional duties of county elections officials and local agencies, this bill 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.