Improve Public Confidence Election Validity

Commencing with the 2022 general election, and subject to an elector's choice to receive and cast all ballots by mail, the bill requires that all registered electors cast their ballot in person for each general election at a polling location within the county of the elector's residence. The number and siting of polling locations within a county must be designated by the county clerk and recorder.

Under the bill, voting in person is limited to a 7-day period commencing 6 days before and culminating the day of the election. During this one-week period, polling locations must remain open for voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day during the week. A registered elector may cast a ballot in person at any time during which polling locations are open during the one-week period.

Each county clerk and recorder shall institute procedures by which a registered elector may choose to vote by mail ballot by affirmatively requesting that the elector would like to receive and cast a ballot by mail for all forthcoming general elections.

The bill requires all ballots to be counted not later than the day of the election. A ballot is not counted if it is received by a county clerk and recorder after the polls have closed on election day. No preliminary results of any race contested in the election may be disclosed by the county clerk and recorder prior to the dissemination of the final results of a race on or after election day.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)