Elections: official canvass period.

Existing law requires the official canvass for an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election and to be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. Elections officials are required to report the final results of the canvass to the governing board and the Secretary of State. This bill would require an elections official, on the 2nd day after an election, to send to the Secretary of State an initial report containing the estimated number of outstanding unprocessed ballots, as defined. Commencing on the 6th day after the election, the elections official would be required to send a report on the estimated number of outstanding unprocessed ballots whenever the elections official publicly releases updated election results during the official canvass period. By requiring new duties of local government officials, this bill would impose 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 the statutory provisions noted above.