SB 1420 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vote by mail ballots and early voting.

Summary

Existing law provides that no later than 29 days before the day of an election, a voter using a vote by mail ballot may, before the polls close, vote the ballot at the office of the elections official or a satellite location. Existing law provides that a voter may vote their vote by mail ballot, without the identification envelope, in person at the office of the county elections official, a satellite location, the polling place designated for the voter's home precinct, or a vote center, as specified. Existing law provides that for a statewide election, a county that does not conduct an all-mailed ballot election must provide at least one early voting location for at least 6 hours on the Saturday before election day. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare and publish the state voter information guide containing specified information. This bill would require the Secretary of State to promulgate, and post on its internet website, regulations setting forth specified procedures that would allow a voter to vote their vote by mail ballot in person, including procedures to check in a voter, procedures to verify that the voter's vote by mail ballot is the correct ballot, procedures to ensure the secrecy of the voter's ballot, and procedures to ensure that a voter does not submit more than one vote by mail ballot without the identification envelope. The bill would require the Secretary of State, in promulgating these regulations, to take into consideration different voting technologies and systems used in other counties, and to consult with county registrars of voters and other election stakeholders. The bill would require the Secretary of State to include information about these vote by mail and early voting procedures in the state voter information guide. By imposing new duties on county elections 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

Assembly Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

06/18/26 - Amended Assembly → SB1420 · 2 edits

MINOR

The enrolled version of SB 1420 makes two technical corrections to statutory cross-references without changing the bill's substantive policy. The in-person mail ballot voting provision in Section 9084(n)(2) now correctly references Section 3016.5 instead of Section 3016.3, and Section 3016.6(a) narrows its cross-reference to a specific subparagraph rather than the broader section. These are drafting corrections that align the text with existing law.

TECHNICAL

Section 9084(n)(2) cross-reference corrected from 'pursuant to Section 3016.3' to 'pursuant to Section 3016.5,' which is the correct provision governing in-person voting of a mail ballot without the identification envelope.

Section 3016.6(a) cross-reference narrowed from 'pursuant to Sections 3016.3 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 3016.3 and Section 3016.5' to 'pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 3016.3 and Section 3016.5,' removing the redundant general reference to Section 3016.3.

05/14/26 - Amended Senate → 06/18/26 - Amended Assembly · 4 edits · Jun 18, 2026

MODERATE

The Assembly amendment narrows the scope of new regulations the Secretary of State must promulgate under Section 3016.6, removing the requirement to regulate 'voter education and outreach initiatives' and limiting it to procedures for voting a mail ballot in person. The detailed voter education content previously in subsection (c) of 3016.6 is removed from that section but preserved through existing requirements in Section 9084 (the state voter information guide). A cross-reference error in Section 9084(n)(2) was also corrected.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed. The Senate version imposed a dual obligation on the Secretary of State: (1) regulate procedures for in-person mail ballot casting AND (2) regulate voter education and outreach initiatives. The Assembly version keeps only the first obligation, relying instead on the existing Section 9084 state voter information guide to carry the public education content. This reduces the regulatory burden on the Secretary of State while preserving voter access to information through an existing channel.

SCOPE

Section 3016.6(a) no longer requires the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations for 'voter education and outreach initiatives to provide information to the public.' The regulatory requirement is narrowed to only procedures that allow a voter to vote their mail ballot in person.

REQUIREMENT

Subsection (c) of Section 3016.6, which required counties and the Secretary of State to include specific information about early voting locations and in-person mail ballot casting in voter education plans under Section 2105, is deleted entirely.

TECHNICAL

The cross-reference in Section 3016.6(a) is made more specific, changing from 'Sections 3016.3 and 3016.5' to 'subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 3016.3 and Section 3016.5.'

Section 9084(n)(2) corrects a cross-reference from 'pursuant to Section 3016.3' to 'pursuant to Section 3016.5,' fixing what appears to be an error in the Senate version.

03/26/26 - Amended Senate → 05/14/26 - Amended Senate · 4 edits · May 14, 2026

MODERATE

SB 1420 was substantially revised to shift its focus from voter education outreach to operational procedures for in-person vote by mail ballot submission. The bill now requires the Secretary of State to promulgate specific procedures covering voter check-in, ballot verification, ballot secrecy, and prevention of duplicate submissions, rather than just requiring information about early voting options. A new requirement was added for the Secretary of State to consult with county registrars and consider different voting technologies when drafting regulations.

REQUIREMENT

Section 3016.6(a) was restructured. Previously it required regulations for voter education and outreach about early voting options. Now it requires regulations that allow a voter to vote their mail ballot in person, with specific procedures for: (1) checking in a voter per Section 14216, (2) verifying the correct ballot, (3) ensuring ballot secrecy, and (4) preventing a voter from submitting more than one mail ballot without the identification envelope.

New subdivision (b) requires the Secretary of State to take into consideration different voting technologies and systems used in other counties, and to consult with county registrars of voters and other election stakeholders when promulgating regulations.

New subdivision (c) requires that voter education and outreach plans and templates prepared under Section 2105 include information about opportunities for early voting and for voting/casting a vote by mail ballot in person, incorporating the three informational items that were previously in subdivision (a).

TIMELINE

The urgency clause justification was narrowed. The old version cited the need to promulgate regulations for voter education initiatives about provisions added by AB 1249. The new version simply states the need to incorporate information into the state voter information guide before the November 3, 2026 general election.

Floor votes · Senate May 19, 2026 · Assembly Aug 13, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

May 19, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

9 Yea 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Assembly · Passed

Assembly Vote: pass (71-0-7)

assembly

Aug 13, 2026

Introduced

In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

lower

Aug 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).

lower

Jun 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Jun 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 17).

lower

May 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.

lower

May 19, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (39-0-1)

senate

May 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4365.) Ordered to the Assembly.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

May 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4276.) (May 14).

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3755.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Mar 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors