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<ns0:Id>20250SB__040799INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-14</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>407</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>INT</ns0:MeasureState>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Choi</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil and Grove)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Choi</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Alvarado-Gil</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Grove</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Sections 15372, 15375, and 15501 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>elections</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Elections: official canvass.</ns0:Subject>
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<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>Existing law requires the official canvass of all ballots received in an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election and to continue daily, except on weekends and holidays, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. Existing law requires elections officials to prepare a certified statement of the results of the election within 30 days of the election and to send the Secretary of State a complete copy of all election results within 31 days of the election. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote no later than the 38th day after the election.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would reduce those deadlines to 10 days for counting all ballots and preparing the certified statement of the results of the election, and 11 days for sending the Secretary of State a complete copy of all
election results. The bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote no later than 2 days after receiving election results from all county elections officials. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</html:p>
<html:p>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.</html:p>
<html:p>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 the statutory provisions noted above.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>YES</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
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<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 15372 of the
<ns0:DocName>Elections Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>15372.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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The elections official shall prepare a certified statement of the results of the election and submit it to the governing body within 10 days of the election.
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<html:p>
(b)
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The elections official shall post the certified statement of the results of the election on his or her
internet website in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting. The certified statement of the election results shall be posted and maintained on the elections official’s internet website for a period of at least 10 years following the election. This subdivision applies only to an elections official who uses a computer system that has the capability of producing
the election results in a downloadable spreadsheet format without requiring modification of the computer system.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 15375 of the
<ns0:DocName>Elections Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>15375.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The elections official shall send to the Secretary of State within 11 days of the election in an electronic format in the manner requested one complete copy of all results as to all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All candidates voted for statewide office.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All candidates voted for the following offices:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Member of the Assembly.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Member of the Senate.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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Member of the United States House of Representatives.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Member of the State Board of Equalization.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Justice of the Court of Appeal.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Judge of the superior court.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All persons voted for at the presidential primary.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The vote given for persons for electors of President and Vice President of the United States. The results for presidential electors shall be endorsed “Presidential Election
Returns.”
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All statewide measures.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The total number of ballots cast.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_71F39E34-4B56-4123-B302-8F85C0D2EE72">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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Section 15501 of the
<ns0:DocName>Elections Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>15501.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Except as to presidential electors, the Secretary of State shall compile the results for all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All candidates for statewide office.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All candidates for Assembly, State Senate, Congress, State Board of Equalization, Supreme Court, and Courts of Appeal.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
All statewide measures.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Secretary of State shall prepare, certify, and file a statement of the vote from the compiled results no later than
two days after receiving election results from all county elections officials pursuant to Section 15375. The Secretary of State shall post the certified statement of the vote on his or her internet website in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting. The certified statement of the vote shall be posted and maintained on the Secretary of State’s internet website
for a period of at least 10 years following the election.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Secretary of State may gather returns for local elections, including, but not limited to, the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Candidates for county office.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Candidates for city office.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
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Candidates for school and district office.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
County ballot measures.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
City ballot measures.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
School and district ballot measures.
</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_6C92A865-9154-48C9-ABCB-7B12EAB41C78">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 4.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.</html:p>
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