Voting age: school district governing board elections.

Existing law requires a person to be at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election, among other qualifications, to be eligible to register and vote. Existing law provides for the amendment of a city or city and county charter, and requires a charter amendment proposed by a charter commission for a city or city and county to be submitted to the voters at an established statewide general, statewide primary, or regularly scheduled municipal election, as specified. This bill would authorize a city or city and county to propose an amendment to its charter that would allow a person who is at least 16 years of age at the time of the next election to vote in a school district governing board election, as specified, in which he or she would be qualified to vote based on residence. The bill would, in the event that a city or city and county amends its charter as described, authorize a person who is at least 16 years of age at the time of the next election, and who is otherwise qualified, to register to vote for the limited purpose of voting in a school district governing board election. If a city or city and county amends its charter as described above, this bill would require the city or city and county to enter into an agreement, as specified, with the county elections official providing for payment by the city, city or county, or school district of all costs necessary to implement the charter amendment or, alternatively, require that the city, city or county, or school district perform any or all duties necessary to implement the charter amendment, unless prohibited by law. The bill would further provide that a charter amendment adopted pursuant to these provisions with an effective date on or after January 1, 2017, is valid regardless of the date the charter amendment was approved. This bill would provide that specified provisions shall become operative only if 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 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.) .