On Saturday, Governor Jerry Brown signed a series of bills aimed to straighten elections and expand voter rights in the State of California.
On of the bills signed was AB 1461 (California New Motor Voter Program) which upon application or renewal of a drivers license at the California Department of Motor Vehicles, they are automatically registered to vote
Under AB 1461:
This bill would require the Secretary of State and the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish the California New Motor Voter Program for the purpose of increasing opportunities for voter registration by any person who is qualified to be a voter. Under the program, after the Secretary of State certifies that certain enumerated conditions are satisfied, the Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to electronically provide to the Secretary of State the records of each person who is issued an original or renewal of a driver’s license or state identification card or who provides the department with a change of address, as specified. The person’s motor vehicle records would then constitute a completed affidavit of registration and the person would be registered to vote, unless the person affirmatively declined to be registered to vote during a transaction with the department, the department did not represent to the Secretary of State that the person attested that he or she meets all voter eligibility requirements, as specified, or the Secretary of State determines that the person is ineligible to vote. The bill would require the Secretary of State to adopt regulations to implement this program, as specified.
• AB 44 by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) – Elections: statewide recounts.
• AB 277 by Assemblymember Roger Hernández (D-West Covina) – California Voting Rights Act of 2001.
• AB 363 by Assemblymember Marc Steinorth (R-Rancho Cucamonga) – Closing of the polls.
• AB 477 by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) – Elections: ballots and the Green Party.
• AB 547 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) – Elections: special elections: all-mailed ballot elections.
• AB 1020 by Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) – Elections: voter registration.
• AB 1461 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) – Voter registration: California New Motor Voter Program.
• AB 1504 by Assemblymember Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) – Elections: all-mailed ballot elections: pilot project.
• AB 1535 by the Committee on Elections and Redistricting – Elections.
• AB 1536 by the Committee on Elections and Redistricting – Elections.
• SB 365 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) – Vote by mail ballot drop-off locations.
• SB 439 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Election procedures.
• SB 493 by Senator Anthony J. Cannella (R-Ceres) – Elections in cities: by or from districts.
• SB 589 by Senator Marty Block (D-San Diego) – Voting: voter registration: individuals with disabilities and conservatees.
