Come New Year’s Day, three major voting bills will become law in California, changing the way voters use vote by mail ballots. Assembly Bill 216 and Assembly Bill 306, both introduced to the legislature by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez-Fletcher, will expand voting rights in the state and clarify certain aspects of vote by mail ballots to make voting easier for Californians. Assembly Bill 2218, which increases transparency of vote by mail ballots was also passed after being introduced by Assemblymember Marc Berman. AB 216 simplifies the use of vote by mail ballots—the elections official is required to deliver all supplies necessary for the use and return of the ballot, including an identification envelope with prepaid postage. Prepaid postage!
This new law could have a large impact on young voters in particular, as it was discovered during the midterm elections earlier this year that some young voters did not submit a vote by mail ballot because they did not know where to buy stamps.
Before the introduction of this bill, the elections official would deliver the ballots and all supplies necessary for the use and return of the ballot, but this did not always mean that prepaid postage was included. Many voters were confused as to whether their vote would count if they had forgotten postage. Now, AB 216 imposes additional duties on local elections officials to provide those supplies.
Full Article: California’s new voting laws, explained | abc10.com.