AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 8, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 115

Statutes of 2026

[ Approved by Governor August 20, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State August 20, 2026. ]

Introduced by Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments (Senators Wiener (Chair), Allen, Cervantes, Choi, and Umberg)

March 5, 2026

An act to amend Section 5322 of the Education Code, and to amend Section 12283 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: no   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

When an election for governing board members of a school district or community college district is ordered, existing law requires the governing board of the district, or the board or officer authorized by law to make such designations, to adopt a resolution specifying the date and the purpose of the election and requires that resolution to be delivered, not fewer than 123 days before the election, to the county superintendent of schools and the officer conducting the election, as provided.

This bill would require that resolution to instead be delivered not fewer than 125 days before the election.

Existing law authorizes the governing body with jurisdiction over school buildings or other public buildings to allow its buildings to be used for polling places, for vote centers beginning up to 10 days before the election, or to store voting machines and other vote-tabulating devices. On the day that a school building is used as a polling place or vote center, the governing body may continue school in session, designate the day for staff training and development, or close the school.

This bill would require the governing body to continue school in session on any schoolday when a school building is used for a vote center, except on election day when the governing body may continue school in session, designate the day for staff training and development, or close the school.

The bill would make related clarifying and conforming changes.

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

SECTION 1.

Section 5322 of the Education Code is amended to read:

5322.

(a) Whenever an election is ordered, the governing board of the district, or the board or officer authorized by this code to make such designations, shall, concurrently with or after the order of election but not fewer than 125 days before the date of the election for governing board members, or at least 88 days before the date of the election on a measure, including a bond measure, by resolution delivered to the county superintendent of schools and the officer conducting the election, or, for an election on a measure, only to the officer conducting the election, specify both of the following:

(1) The date of the election.

(2) The purpose of the election.

(b) The resolution or resolutions described in subdivision (a) shall be known as “specifications of the election order” and shall set forth the authority for ordering the election, the authority for the specification of the election order, the signature of the officer or the clerk of the board by law authorized to make the designations, and, for an election on a measure, the exact wording of the measure as it is to appear on the ballot. The statement of the measure to appear on the ballot shall not exceed 75 words.

SEC. 2.

Section 12283 of the Elections Code is amended to read:

12283.

(a) For purposes of this section, “public building” means a building owned or controlled by any of the following:

(1) A local governmental agency, including a city or county.

(2) The University of California.

(3) The California State University.

(4) A community college district.

(b) (1) The governing body having jurisdiction over school buildings or other public buildings may authorize the use of its buildings for any of the following:

(A) Polling places beginning on, and continuing through, election day.

(B) Vote centers, as described in Section 4005, beginning up to 10 days before the election and continuing through election day.

(C) The storage of voting machines and other vote-tabulating devices free of charge.

(2) If a city or county elections official specifically requests the use of a school building or public building for a polling place beginning on, and continuing through, election day, or a vote center beginning up to 10 days before the election and continuing through election day, as well as during key dates necessary for drop-off, set-up, and pick-up of election materials, as determined by the elections official, the governing body having jurisdiction over the particular school building or public building shall allow its use for the purpose requested, except that the University of California is encouraged, but not required, to comply with a request made pursuant to this paragraph.

(3) (A) When allowing use of a school building for a polling place, the governing body may, but is not required to, do any of the following:

(i) Continue school in session, if the governing body identifies to the elections official making the request the specific areas of the school buildings not occupied by school activities that will be allowed for use as a polling place.

(ii) Designate the day for staff training and development.

(iii) Close the school to students and certificated employees.

(B) On election day, a governing body that allows a school building to be used for a vote center may continue school in session, designate the day for staff training and development, or close the school.

(c) (1) An elections official requesting the use of a school building pursuant to subdivision (b) shall include in the official’s request a list of the schools from which the use of a building for a polling place or vote center is needed. Requests shall be made within sufficient time in advance of the school year so that the governing body of the school may have adequate time to plan for the use of a school building for a polling place or vote center.

(2) An elections official requesting the use of a public building pursuant to subdivision (b) shall include in the official’s request a list of the buildings from which the use of a building for a polling place or vote center is needed. Requests shall be made sufficiently before election day for the governing body of the city, county, or other local governmental agency to adequately plan for the public building’s use as a polling place or vote center.

(d) (1) Once a governing body has approved the use of a school building or public building as a polling place or vote center, the governing body shall instruct the school district or other public administrator to provide the elections official a site with an adequate amount of space for voting operations and storage of associated supplies that will allow the precinct board to perform its duties in a manner that will not impede, interfere, or interrupt the normal process of voting and to make internet access available for use by local elections officials, if requested.

(2) At a vote center, beginning 10 days before the election and continuing through election day, if requested by the elections official, the district administrator shall make building parking available at no charge to the precinct board and voters. If requested by the elections official, the district administrator shall also make accessible parking spaces and parking for assisting voters curbside available.

(e) A public building, including, but not limited to, a building operated by a school district, that is used as a polling place or vote center shall comply with applicable accessibility requirements described in this article, the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.), the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.), and the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10101 et seq.).