Elections: precinct board members.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not specify when the new rules will start, leaving this detail uncertain.

Elections: Precinct Board Members

This bill changes how precinct board members are chosen, requiring them to be randomly selected instead of appointed by a county elections official.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide each county's election officials with lists of eligible voters who have driver’s licenses or identification cards.
• Makes all registered voters in a jurisdiction eligible for random selection as precinct board members, except those who ask to be excused due to undue hardship or age over 70.
• Allows people selected as precinct board members to request being excused if it causes them undue hardship; they will automatically serve again the next election unless excused.

Who It Names or Affects

• County elections officials
• Registered voters in each jurisdiction

Terms To Know

Precinct Board Members

People who help run voting at polling places during an election.

Undue Hardship

A situation that makes it very difficult or unfair for someone to do something they are required to do.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify when the new rules will start.
• It is unclear how much extra work this change might create for county elections officials.

Official Summary Text

AB 1562, as amended, Jackson.
Elections: precinct board members.
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
for appointment
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.
By increasing the duties of local elections officials with respect to conducting elections, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for
making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
This bill would authorize a county elections official, for each election, to adopt a system in which individuals are randomly selected to serve as precinct board members. The bill would make every citizen who resides in the jurisdiction and is at least 18 years of age eligible to be selected, but would authorize an eligible person to be excused for undue hardship upon themselves or the public.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF