Elections.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact nature of nonsubstantive changes is not specified.

Election Date and Measure Submission Rules

This legislation updates election date terminology in California's laws and adds requirements for local elections officials when handling voter measures that affect multiple counties.

What This Bill Does

• Changes references from 'regular election dates' to 'established election dates'.
• Requires the lead county’s elections official to set deadlines for submitting measure text and impartial analysis along with arguments.
• Requires the lead county’s elections official to send measure details, including impartial analysis and selected arguments, to other counties within 24 hours of receiving them.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local elections officials in California
• Voters in special districts that span more than one county

Terms To Know

lead county

The main county designated to handle the coordination of election processes for a measure affecting multiple counties.

state-mandated local program

A state requirement that increases duties or costs for local agencies, which may require state reimbursement.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact details of how the new deadlines will be established.
• It is unclear what specific nonsubstantive changes are being made to the existing laws.

Official Summary Text

AB 2786, as introduced, Committee on Elections.
Elections.
Under existing law, there are certain established election dates. Prior to the enactment of Chapter 1143 of the Statutes of 1996, the Elections Code instead referred to these dates as “regular election dates.”
This bill would revise existing code sections to remove obsolete references to “regular election date” and replace them with references to “established election date.”
Under existing law, when a local measure is submitted to the voters of a special district that includes territory within more than one county, one of those counties is designated as the lead county, as specified. Existing law requires the elections official for the lead county to work with the other counties to establish the deadlines for the submittal of arguments for and against the measure. Existing law also requires the elections
official for the lead county to select the arguments to be printed in the voter information guide and transmit those arguments to the elections officials of the other counties.
This bill would additionally require the elections official for the lead county to work with the other counties to establish the deadlines for the submittal of the measure text and impartial analysis. The bill would require the elections official for the lead county to submit the measure text, impartial analysis, and the selected arguments to the other counties within 24 hours of the author providing those materials to the lead county. To the extent this bill increases the duties of local elections officials, it creates a state-mandated local program.
The bill would also make other nonsubstantive changes.
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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF