Bill > SB3

This bill aims to improve the signature verification process for vote-by-mail ballots in California by introducing several key provisions. The bill prohibits elections officials from considering a voter's identifying information, such as gender, name, or address, when comparing signatures, and prevents them from basing their review on the amount of time spent examining a signature. It requires elections officials to notify voters when their signatures do not match those in their registration records and allows voters to work with non-governmental entities to complete signature verification statements. The bill mandates that signature verification statements include a statement about the county elections official's requirement to compare signatures, and it prohibits compensation for returning these statements based on the number of statements submitted. Additionally, the bill expands vote-by-mail ballot observers' rights to challenge signature verification procedures and requires elections officials to post more frequent and detailed election result updates on their websites, including the number of processed ballots and estimated outstanding ballots. The bill also standardizes the forms used for signature verification and unsigned envelope statements, with the Secretary of State developing a standard form that elections officials must use or adapt. Lastly, the bill includes provisions to prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of the vote-by-mail ballot verification process.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB3