CaliforniaVote by mail ballots and early voting.
What it does
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.
More detail
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.
Where do you stand?
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 19Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 342, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 19Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 4Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 27Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5982.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Special Consent (Urgency Clause). Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 13In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1420 Richardson Consent Calendar Second Day. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6159.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 6Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.Minor
- Aug 5From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 18Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 17).Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- May 26Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.Minor
- May 20In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- May 19Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 4365.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading (Urgency Clause). Result: pass.Upper
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 4276.) (May 14).Major
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- Apr 20April 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 10Set for hearing April 20.
- Apr 7From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3755.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 26From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.Major
- Mar 16Set for hearing April 7.
- Mar 4Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.Minor
- Feb 23Read first time.Minor
- Feb 23From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
- Feb 20Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced