CaliforniaCalifornia officials and at-risk voters could shield full voter records
Elected officials, qualified candidates, and some voters facing safety risks could keep their full voter records out of public lists, with new rules for in-person voting.
What it does
Elected officials and candidates who qualify for the ballot may ask to keep their full voter records out of public lists. Officials may also request this for certain family members at home, with their consent.
People with confidential voter status would be able to vote at a polling place or vote center and keep that status, under a process the Secretary of State must create.
Eligible voters facing life-threatening circumstances, certain program participants, public safety officers, and election workers would have their full voter records kept out of public lists.
Argument forKeeping a person’s full voter record out of public lists could make it harder for someone to find or misuse their past voting information.
Argument againstOfficials’ household members may lose the option to cast a regular in-person ballot when their records are kept confidential, even though they can return a mail ballot at a polling place.
More detail
County election officials would keep an elected official’s or qualified candidate’s full voter registration record out of public voter lists after a written request. This covers federal, state, and local elected officials and candidates who qualify for the ballot. It excludes party county central committee members and candidates for those seats. Candidates must qualify to appear on the ballot; elected officials and candidates must make a written request. An elected official may name a spouse, domestic partner, parent, or child living at the same home in the request. That family member must sign to agree and acknowledge losing the option to cast a regular in-person ballot; they may still return a mail ballot at a polling place or drop box. The Secretary of State and counties must implement the exemption once their voter databases and election systems are updated. Through December 31, 2028, counties may try to apply it manually while updates are pending. An elected official’s record stays confidential until two years after leaving office. A candidate’s protection follows election results and canvass deadlines; a candidate who loses a primary loses it after the primary canvass.
The Secretary of State would create a way for people with confidential voter status to vote at a polling place or vote center and keep that status. The process is for anyone with confidential voter status. The Secretary of State must develop and implement the process by September 30, 2027.
County election officials would keep the entire voter registration record out of public lists for voters already eligible for confidentiality under specified protections. The protections cover the voters who qualify under those existing categories, including eligible program participants, public safety officers, and election workers who interact with or are seen by the public. This applies to voters with a court order based on a life-threatening circumstance, participants in specified address confidentiality programs, and public safety officers or election workers who meet the stated life-threat requirements. Address confidentiality program status ends when the program manager reports withdrawal, invalidation, expiration, or termination. Public safety officer and qualified worker confidentiality may last up to two years and may be renewed; relocation rules include a 60-day transition period. The existing category-specific periods and renewal rules continue to apply, including up to two years for public safety officers and qualified workers.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 622, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 10Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 30Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6869.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2573 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 28In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2573 Sharp-Collins By Weber Pierson. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 28Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jun 30From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.Minor
- May 27In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 5334.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2573 Sharp-Collins Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 19Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. (Page 5154.)Major
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.Minor
- Apr 7From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 9Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
Civil Rights & VotingGovernment & EthicsPublic Safety