Voter registration: high school pupils.

Existing law permits a county elections official to deputize as registrars of voters qualified citizens, and permits a deputy registrar to register persons to vote. Existing law requires the last two full weeks in April and in September to be known as "high school voter weeks," during which time deputy registrars of voters are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses in areas designated by the school administration. This bill would instead designate the last two full weeks in April and in September to be "high school voter education weeks," during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or his or her designee. Under existing law, a person may not be registered as a voter except by affidavit of registration. A person is entitled to register to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. Existing law requires a properly executed affidavit of registration to be deemed effective upon receipt of the affidavit by the county elections official, if received on or before the 15th day prior to an election, or as otherwise specified. Existing law, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, authorizes a person who is at least 17 years of age and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements to submit his or her affidavit of registration. The affidavit of registration is deemed effective as of the date the affiant will be 18 years of age. This bill would permit the administrator of a high school, or his or her designee, to appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach coordinators. This bill would permit a voter outreach coordinator to coordinate voter registration activities on the high school campus that would encourage eligible persons to apply to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration. This bill would permit the voter outreach coordinator, with the approval of the administrator or his or her designee, to coordinate other election-related activities on his or her high school campus, as specified.