Elections: vote by mail ballots.

(1) Existing law permits any voter to apply for permanent vote by mail voter status if the voter completes an application containing the required information in accordance with specified statutory provisions and requires a voter to return a vote by mail ballot by mail or in person to the elections official from whom it came, or in person to any member of a precinct board at any polling place within the jurisdiction, before the close of the polls on election day. This bill would permit a voter to return a vote by mail ballot to any polling place in the state, and in the case of a vote by mail ballot returned to a precinct located in a county other than the county of the elections official who issued the ballot, would require the elections official of the precinct at which the ballot is returned to forward the ballot to the elections official who issued the ballot. By imposing additional duties on local elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The bill would also make a conforming change to a related provision. (3) 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.