(a) On or after January 1, 2020, the County of Los Angeles may conduct any election as a vote center election if all of the following apply:
(1) The county elections official complies with all the provisions of subdivision (a) of Section 4005 that are not inconsistent with this section.
(2) Every permanent vote by mail voter receives a ballot.
(3) At least two ballot dropoff locations are provided within the jurisdiction where the election is held or the number of ballot dropoff locations are fixed in a manner so that there is at least one ballot dropoff location provided for every 15,000 permanent vote by mail registered voters within the jurisdiction where the election is held, as determined on the 88th day before the day of the election, whichever results in more ballot dropoff locations.
(4) Within the jurisdiction where the election is held, at least one vote center is provided for each city that has at least 1,000 registered voters according to the official report of registration submitted by the county elections official to the Secretary of State before the last general election.
(5) On the day of the election, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., inclusive, and on each of the three days before the election, for a minimum of eight hours per day, at least one vote center is provided for every 7,500 registered voters within the jurisdiction where the election is held, as determined on the 88th day before the day of the election. At least 90 percent of the number of vote centers required by this subparagraph shall be open for all four days during the required times. Up to 10 percent of the number of vote centers required by this subparagraph may be open for less than four days if at least one vote center is provided for every 7,500 registered voters on each day.
(6) Beginning 10 days before the day of the election and continuing up to and including the fourth day before the day of the election, for a minimum of eight hours per day, at least one vote center is provided for every 30,000 registered voters within the jurisdiction where the election is held, as determined on the 88th day before the election.
(7) Precincts with fewer than 500 registered voters are designated as all vote-by-mail ballot precincts.
(8) Voters residing in a legislative or congressional district that lies partially within the County of Los Angeles and that also lies within another county that is conducting an election pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 4005 receive a vote by mail ballot if they are eligible to vote in that election.
(9) Voters in a precinct that is either more than a 30 minute travel time from a vote center or in which the polling place in the most recent statewide general election is more than 15 miles from the nearest vote center are mailed a vote by mail ballot.
(10) The vote centers are located within a reasonable travel time of registered voters.
(11) The county elections official conducts a service area analysis of the vote center plans, identifies services gaps, and publicly reports those findings.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 4000 or any other law, on or after January 1, 2020, the County of Los Angeles may conduct a special election as an all-mailed ballot election pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 4005.
(c) No later than four years after conducting the first vote center election pursuant to this section, the County of Los Angeles may conduct all-mailed ballot elections pursuant to Section 4005 and shall not conduct vote center elections pursuant to this section.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 832, Sec. 5. (SB 450) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018