CA Bills About Mail-In Voting and Instant-Runoff Voting

Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.

SB 450 - On June 29, the California Assembly Elections Committee passed SB 450 by 5-2.

Starting in 2018, the bill would let some counties send ballots by postal mail to all registered voters.

There would no longer be Precinct Polling places in those counties, but there would be vote centers for people who wish to vote at the polls, or to drop off their voted ballots other than by postal mail.

Starting in 2020, the bill would be in effect for the entire state. The two Republicans on the committee voted against the bill. The bill has already passed the Senate.

SB 1288 - On June 29, SB 1288 passed the California Assembly Elections Committee.

It had already passed the Senate. It lets all cities and counties use Instant-Runoff Voting for elections for their own officers.

Currently, only Charter Cities and Charter Counties may do that. The vote was 5-2, with all Democrats voting “yes” and both Republicans voting “no.” Now the bill goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

CA Senate Elections Committee Passes Bill to Let General Law Cities Use Ranked-Choice Voting

Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.

On April 19, the California Senate Elections Committee passed SB 1288, which lets all California cities use Instant Runoff Voting for their own City elections if they wish.

SB 1288 now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill is sponsored by Senator Mark Leno.

Currently, only Charter Cities have that freedom.

On the Central Coast there are four Charter Cities. In the north are Monterey and to the south Ventura, then the Cities of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara in between. All other Incorporated Communities are General Law Cities

There are 481 General Law Cities and 86 Charter Cities in the State.

The bill received “Aye” votes from three Democrats on the Committee, Ben Allen, Loni Hancock, and Robert Hertzberg.

The lone Republican member, Joel Anderson, voted “No”, and the remaining Democrat, Carol Liu, did not vote even though she was present.

In California, Legislators who abstain have the same effect as if they had voted “No”.

CLICK HERE to read the bill.











NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker