CA Voter Equity Bills Advance

ACROSS CALIFORNIA — Two bills by state Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park) drafted "to advance voter equity" advanced in the state Assembly this week, his office announced.

Senate Bill 503, which would implement a uniform statewide signature verification standard for mail-in ballots, passed the Assembly Elections Committee in a 6-1 vote and will head to the Appropriations Committee.

Senate Bill 504, which would take steps to ensure that those who have been released from incarceration would not inadvertently be removed from voter rolls, was approved by the committee unanimously and will head to the Public Safety Committee.

Both bills passed the state Senate in June.

SB 504 would also ensure that members of the military, California residents living overseas and those living with disabilities would have the same access to remote same-day voter registration as other residents.

“I’m grateful for my Assembly colleagues’ strong support of my legislation,” Becker said in a news release on the two bills. “This legislation supports California’s commitment to making sure that everyone who is eligible to vote can do so easily without obstructions and ensure that every eligible vote is counted.”

SB 503 would require timely outreach to voters whose ballots are rejected. For a ballot to be rejected because of an invalid signature, elections officials would need to determine “beyond a reasonable doubt” when comparing signatures that they do not match. It would also prohibit elections officials from taking a voter’s party preference, race or ethnicity into consideration when comparing signatures.

Voters with disabilities and marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by signature matches, according to Disability Rights California. Voters’ signatures often change over time, and it can be especially difficult for those with disabilities to sign the same way, the group said.

“Signature matches negatively impact voters from marginalized communities more often than any other,” Eric Harris, the group’s director of public policy, wrote in a letter of support for SB 503. “A signature match requirement is an additional unnecessary barrier that is detrimental for voters with disabilities.”