Elections: vote by mail voting: military personnel.

Existing law requires vote by mail ballots to be received by elections officials by the close of the polls on election day. This bill would make an exception for absent uniformed services voters, as defined, and would instead require that their vote by mail ballot be postmarked or signed and dated by the voter by election day and received by their elections official no later than 21 days after election day. Because the bill would require local elections officials to perform additional duties, it 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 these statutory provisions.