Existing law defines “residence” for voting purposes as a person’s domicile. Existing law describes the domicile of a person for voting purposes as that place in which their habitation is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining, and to which, whenever they are absent, the person has the intention of returning. Existing law provides that a person who leaves their home to go into another state or precinct in this state for temporary purposes, with the intention of returning, does not lose their domicile. Existing law also provides that a person does not gain a domicile in any precinct they go into for temporary purposes if the person does not intend to make that precinct their home.

This bill would additionally provide that a person who leaves their home for temporary purposes because of a natural disaster, and who intends to return to the home or to another address within the same jurisdiction, does not lose the person’s domicile at that home. The bill would authorize the person to provide a temporary address for mailing purposes without losing their domicile.