Replies

THIRD READING

Bill No: AB 51
Author: Oropeza (D), et al
Amended: 6/18/02 in Senate
Vote: 21

VOTES ON AB 632, 5/31/01 VERSION

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8

ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not relevant

SUBJECT : Voter registration: new citizens and new
residents

SOURCE : California Association of Clerks and Election
Officials

DIGEST : This bill extends the time for new citizens to
register to vote. (This bill is similar to the AB 632,
5/31/01, version, which became a reapportionment bill. AB
632 passed Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee
8-0 in the current AB 51 form.)

ANALYSIS : Existing law provides that a properly executed
affidavit of voter registration is deemed effective if, on
or before the 15th day prior to an election, it is either
received by the county elections official, postmarked, or
submitted to any other designated voter registration
agency.

Existing law provides that any "new citizen" is eligible to
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register and vote at the office of the county elections
official at any time, beginning on the 28th day before an
election and ending on the seventh day prior to election
day.

Existing law defines "new citizen" as any person who meets
all requirements of an elector of, and has established
residency in, the State of California, except that he or
she will become a United States citizen after the 29th day
prior to an election but on or before the seventh day prior
to that election. New citizens registering to vote after
the regular close of registration must provide the county
elections official with proof of citizenship and residency
prior to voting.

This bill instead provides that new citizens are eligible
to register and vote at the office of, or at another
location designated by, the county elections official at
any time beginning on the 14th day before an election and
ending at 8 p.m. on election day.

This bill also amends other provisions of the Elections
Code related to new citizen and new resident registration
to reflect the intent of this bill and the current deadline
for registration which was changed from 29 days prior to an
election to 15 days prior to an election last year.

This bill essentially implements election day registration
and voting at elections official's offices for new citizens
who provide proof of citizenship and residency.

FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes

SUPPORT : (Verified 8/2/02)

California Association of Clerks and Election Officials
(source)
Secretary of State

OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/2/02)

State Department of Finance

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ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, under
current law, new citizens can only register up to the
seventh day before an election. The Secretary of State has
worked with the INS to avoid scheduling naturalization
ceremonies after the close of registration but, inevitably,
some occur for each election. AB 51 was introduced at the
request of county registrars who are forced to turn away
our newest citizens.

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The State Department of Finance
states this bill would result in a reimbursable
state-mandated local program by amending the deadline for
new citizens to register to vote. While these costs are
unknown at this time, they could be significant due to the
increased staffing costs for local elections agencies on
the days preceding and including election day.

CP:kb 8/7/02 Senate Floor Analyses

SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE

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