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AB-1817 Voter registration: high school pupils.(2013-2014)

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Assembly Bill No. 1817
CHAPTER 131

An act to amend Section 49040 of, and to add Section 49041 to, the Education Code, relating to voter registration.

[ Approved by Governor  July 16, 2014. Filed with Secretary of State  July 16, 2014. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1817, Gomez. Voter registration: high school pupils.
Existing law permits a county elections official to deputize as registrars of voters qualified citizens, and permits a deputy registrar to register persons to vote. Existing law requires the last two full weeks in April and in September to be known as “high school voter weeks,” during which time deputy registrars of voters are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses in areas designated by the school administration.
This bill would instead designate the last two full weeks in April and in September to be “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official are allowed to register to vote students and school personnel on high school campuses in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or his or her designee.
Under existing law, a person may not be registered as a voter except by affidavit of registration. A person is entitled to register to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election. Existing law requires a properly executed affidavit of registration to be deemed effective upon receipt of the affidavit by the county elections official, if received on or before the 15th day prior to an election, or as otherwise specified.
Existing law, operative when the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, authorizes a person who is at least 17 years of age and otherwise meets all voter eligibility requirements to submit his or her affidavit of registration. The affidavit of registration is deemed effective as of the date the affiant will be 18 years of age.
This bill would permit the administrator of a high school, or his or her designee, to appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach coordinators. This bill would permit a voter outreach coordinator to coordinate voter registration activities on the high school campus that would encourage eligible persons to apply to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration. This bill would permit the voter outreach coordinator, with the approval of the administrator or his or her designee, to coordinate other election-related activities on his or her high school campus, as specified.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 49040 of the Education Code is amended to read:

49040.
 (a) The last two full weeks in April and the last two full weeks in September shall be known as “high school voter education weeks,” during which time persons authorized by the county elections official shall be allowed to register students and school personnel on any high school campus in areas designated by the administrator of the high school, or his or her designee, which are reasonably accessible to all students.
(b) This section does not preclude a person from registering to vote students and school personnel on a high school campus as is otherwise permitted by the Elections Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 49041 is added to the Education Code, to read:

49041.
 (a) The administrator of a high school, or his or her designee, may appoint one or more pupils who are enrolled at that high school to be voter outreach coordinators.
(b) A voter outreach coordinator may coordinate voter registration activities on his or her high school campus that encourage persons who are eligible to register to vote pursuant to Section 2101 of the Elections Code, or other persons who may submit an affidavit of registration pursuant to Section 2102 of the Elections Code, to apply to register to vote by submitting an affidavit of registration on paper or electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State.
(c) A voter outreach coordinator may, with the approval of the administrator of the high school, or his or her designee, coordinate election-related activities on his or her high school campus, including voter registration drives, mock elections, debates, and other election-related pupil outreach activities.