Elections.

(1) Existing law defines a "ballot marking system" as any mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic system and its software that is used for the sole purpose of marking a ballot for a special absentee voter, as specified. Existing law requires a county elections official to place a notice in any office within the county, as specified, to inform potential special absentee voters of their right to a vote by mail voter's ballot and where registration materials and application forms can be obtained. This bill would revise those provisions by replacing the references to a special absentee voter with a military or overseas voter. (2) Existing law regulates the voting procedures for military or overseas voters and provides that a military or overseas voter has the right to register for, and to vote by a vote by mail ballot in, any election within the state. Existing law requires an elections official, not sooner than 60 days but not later than 45 days before an election or, if the 45th day before the election is a weekend or holiday, not later than the business day preceding the 45th day, to transmit a ballot and balloting materials to each military or overseas voter who by that date submits a valid ballot application. This bill would eliminate the requirement that, if the 45th day before the election is a weekend or holiday, the elections official transmit a ballot and balloting materials to the military or overseas voter not later than the business day preceding the 45th day. (3) Under existing law, if a mistake or omission of a military or overseas voter in completing a document does not prevent determining whether the military or overseas voter is eligible to vote, the mistake or omission does not invalidate the document. Provisions of existing law specify that the failure to satisfy a nonsubstantive requirement does not invalidate a document submitted by a military or overseas voter, and that notarization is not required for the execution of a document. This bill would delete those provisions. (4) Existing law permits any voter to apply for permanent absent voter status if the voter completes an application containing the required information in accordance with specified statutory provisions and establishes provisions applicable to absent voters and permanent absent voters. Existing law requires, upon receipt of an application for permanent vote by mail status, the county elections official to process the application in the same manner as an application for a vote by mail ballot, or, in the case of an application made pursuant to specified provisions of law, in the same manner as an application for a special absent voter ballot or overseas ballot. This bill would correct erroneous cross-references pertaining to applications for permanent vote by mail status. (5) Existing law requires the Secretary of State, at least 5 days prior to sending county elections officials a certified list of candidates for each partisan office or voter-nominated office at a primary election, to notify each candidate for those offices of the names, addresses, offices, occupations, and party preferences of all other persons who have filed for the same office. Existing law authorizes a candidate to change his or her ballot designation at least 98 days prior to the general election, as specified. This bill would require the Secretary of State, not less than 73 days, and not more than 98 days, before a general election, to notify each candidate for a partisan office or voter-nominated office of the names, addresses, offices, ballot designation, and party preferences of all other persons whose names are to appear on the ballot for the same office at the general election. (6) Existing law establishes the procedures for nomination and election of candidates at a special election to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives caused by a catastrophe. Existing law requires a county elections official, under specified circumstances, to deliver vote by mail ballots requested pursuant to existing statutory provisions pertaining to military or overseas voters within 15 days, as specified. Existing law requires a vote by mail ballot cast pursuant to the provisions pertaining to military or overseas voters to be received by the elections official not later than 45 days after the date on which the ballot was transmitted to the voter. Existing law permits the Secretary of State to extend specified election deadlines for a reasonable period of time to facilitate the tabulating and processing of vote by mail ballots cast by military or overseas voters. This bill would correct erroneous statutory cross-references pertaining to vote by mail ballots cast by military or overseas voters. (7) Existing law requires the county elections official to prepare a list of candidates for presidential delegates for each political party, submit a copy of the list to the chairperson of the county central committee of the political party, and post a copy of the list in the elections official's office. This bill would repeal these requirements. (8) Existing law requires an elections official to send to each voter, together with a sample ballot, a voter's pamphlet that contains the written statements of candidates for nonpartisan elective office in a local agency. Existing law authorizes local agencies to charge to the candidate in advance a fee to cover the costs of printing, handling, translating, and mailing the candidate statement. Existing law exempts indigent candidates from paying the fee in advance, but specifically provides that nothing prohibits an elections official from billing the candidate after the election. This bill would provide instead that nothing prohibits the local agency from billing the candidate after the election. (9) Existing law requires the Secretary of State to approve voting systems as meeting specified criteria. Existing law prohibits a jurisdiction purchasing or using a voting system that has not been approved by the secretary. Existing law authorizes the secretary to employ not more than 3 expert technicians to assist the secretary in examining voting systems that seek approval for use. This bill would remove the limitation on the number of technicians that the secretary may employ for these purposes. The bill would also authorize the secretary to employ technician firms to assist the secretary in examining voting systems. The bill would provide that this provision would become inoperative if Senate Bill 360 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective January 1, 2014.