Internet Voting Pilot Program.

Existing law provides for voting at polling places, by vote by mail ballot, and in mail ballot elections. Existing law prohibits a voting system from being connected to the Internet, electronically receiving or transmitting election data, or receiving or transmitting wireless communications or wireless data transfers. This bill would establish an Internet Voting Pilot Program under which a county may offer Internet voting as an additional method of voting in a local election held within the county, provided that specified conditions apply. The pilot program would be required to test the viability, accuracy, security, integrity, efficacy, accessibility, and public acceptance of an Internet voting system. Before a county may conduct a pilot program, this bill would require the county to test the program, as specified. This bill would require the Secretary of State to certify an Internet voting system before it may be used by a county in conducting a pilot program. In order to certify the Internet voting system, this bill would require the Secretary of State to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the system and report on the system's accuracy, security, integrity, efficacy, and accessibility. If a county conducts a pilot program, this bill would require the county to evaluate the program and the county's experience with the Internet voting system and report thereon to the Legislature and the Secretary of State.