Elections: voter registration.

Existing law 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. These provisions become 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. This bill would lower the minimum age for purposes of submitting an affidavit of registration pursuant to these provisions to 16 years of age. The bill also would make conforming changes to existing law. Existing law requires that, upon receipt of a properly executed affidavit of registration or address correction notice or letter, the county elections official send the voter a voter notification containing specified information. This bill would require that, if an affidavit of registration is submitted by a person who is at least 16 years of age and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements, the county elections official send a preregistration notice to that voter upon a determination that the affidavit of registration is properly executed and that the person otherwise satisfies all eligibility requirements to vote, except that he or she is under 18 years of age. The bill would prescribe the format of the voter preregistration notice and make conforming changes. The bill further prohibits these provisions from becoming operative unless the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002. Existing law requires a county elections official to conduct a preelection residency confirmation procedure by the 90th day immediately prior to the primary election, and requires the official to mail a nonforwardable postcard to each registered voter of the county preceding the direct primary election. Existing law provides that the official, at his or her discretion, is not required to mail the residency confirmation postcard to any voter who has voted at an election held within the last 6 months preceding the start of the procedure. This bill would provide that a county elections official is not required to mail a residency confirmation postcard to any person under 18 years of age who has submitted a properly executed affidavit of registration and who will not be 18 years of age on or before the primary election. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2102 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 2562 that would become operative only if AB 2562 and this bill are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2015, and this bill is chaptered last. By imposing new requirements on local elections officials in processing voter registrations and sending voter notifications, the bill would create 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.