AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 18, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 14, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 26, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

URGENCY STATUTE

Introduced by Senator Richardson

February 20, 2026

An act to amend Section 9084 of, and to add Section 3016.6 to, the Elections Code, relating to elections, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

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. In promulgating these regulations, the The bill would require the Secretary of State 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.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 3016.6 is added to the Elections Code, to read:

3016.6.

(a) The Secretary of State shall promulgate regulations setting forth procedures that a county elections official shall follow to allow a voter to vote their vote by mail ballot in person pursuant to Sections 3016.3 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 3016.3 and Section 3016.5. Those procedures must shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Procedures to check in a voter pursuant to the requirements of Section 14216.

(2) Procedures to verify that the voter’s vote by mail ballot is the correct ballot.

(3) Procedures to ensure the secrecy of the voter’s ballot.

(4) Procedures to ensure that a voter does not submit more than one vote by mail ballot without the identification envelope.

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

(c) In preparing voter education and outreach plans and the templates for those plans pursuant to Section 2105, counties and the Secretary of State shall include information about opportunities for early voting and for voting and casting a vote by mail ballot in person as described in Sections 3016.3 and 3016.5.

(d) The Secretary of State shall post regulations adopted or promulgated under this section on its internet website.

SEC. 2.

Section 9084 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

9084.

The state voter information guide shall contain all of the following:

(a) A complete copy of each state measure.

(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), before each state measure, a conspicuous notice that identifies the location on the Secretary of State’s internet website of the specific constitutional or statutory provision that the state measure would repeal or revise.

(2) The text of a measure relating to debts and liabilities, including a bond measure, shall be printed in the state voter information guide as required by Section 1 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.

(c) A copy of the arguments and rebuttals for and against each state measure.

(d) A copy of the analysis of each state measure.

(e) Tables of contents, indexes, artwork, graphics, and other materials that the Secretary of State determines will make the state voter information guide easier to understand or more useful for the average voter.

(f) A notice, conspicuously printed on the cover of the state voter information guide, indicating that additional copies of the state voter information guide will be mailed by the county elections official upon request.

(g) A written explanation of the judicial retention procedure as required by Section 9083.

(h) The Voter Bill of Rights pursuant to Section 2300.

(i) If the ballot contains an election for the office of United States Senator, information on candidates for United States Senator. A candidate for United States Senator may purchase the space to place a statement in the state voter information guide that does not exceed 250 words. The statement shall not make any reference to any opponent of the candidate. The statement shall be submitted in accordance with timeframes and procedures set forth by the Secretary of State for the preparation of the state voter information guide.

(j) If the ballot contains a question on the confirmation or retention of a justice of the Supreme Court, information on justices of the Supreme Court who are subject to confirmation or retention.

(k) If the ballot contains an election for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States, a notice that refers voters to the Secretary of State’s internet website for information about candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.

(l) A written explanation of the appropriate election procedures for party-nominated, voter-nominated, and nonpartisan offices as required by Section 9083.5.

(m) A written explanation of the top 10 contributor lists required by Section 84223 of the Government Code, including a description of the internet websites where those lists are available to the public.

(n) An explanation of a voter’s right to vote their vote by mail ballot in either of the following manners:

(1) No later than 29 days before the day of the election, at the office of the elections official or a satellite location, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 3016.3.

(2) Without the identification envelope, in person at the office of the elections official, a satellite location, the polling place designated for the voter’s home precinct, or a vote center established under Section 4005, pursuant to Section 3016.3. 3016.5.

(o) A notice explaining that, for a statewide election, a county that does not conduct an all-mailed ballot election under Section 4005 must provide at least one early voting location on the Saturday before the day of the election that is open for a minimum of six hours, as required by subdivision (b) of Section 3016.3.

SEC. 3.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 4.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to incorporate information about these provisions into the state voter information guide before the next statewide general election on November 3, 2026, it is necessary for this act to take effect immediately.