Existing law requires a county elections official to divide each jurisdiction within the county into precincts and to appoint a precinct board for each precinct at least 29 days before an election within the jurisdiction. Any voter may apply to the county elections official to serve as a precinct board member.

This bill would instead require precinct board members to be randomly selected by the elections official. The Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to furnish each elections official with the current list of the names, addresses, and other identifying information of persons residing in the county who are 18 years of age or older and hold a current driver’s license or identification card. The bill would make every voter in the jurisdiction eligible to be selected, with specified exceptions.

A person who is selected to serve as a precinct board member would be authorized to apply to the county elections official to be excused from service as a precinct board member for undue hardship upon themselves or the public. A person excused for undue hardship would be automatically selected to serve as a precinct board member in the following election. The bill would also authorize a person who is 70 years of age or older to choose to be excused. The bill would make other conforming changes to the process for selecting precinct board members.