Senator McGuire’s ‘Every Vote Counts’ Bill Signed by the Governor

Press release from Senator Mike McGuire:

voting

By Tom Arthur from Orange, CA, United States – vote for better tape, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

The November 2018 midterm election is going to be one of the most important elections in a generation. With just 50 days to go, Governor Brown has signed a landmark bill into law that will preserve the votes of thousands of Californians at the ballot box.

Effective immediately, SB 759 establishes the process for election officials to notify voters when their Vote By Mail signature mismatches the one on file. Specifically, this bill requires elections officials to notify voters of a mismatching signature at least 8 days prior to the certification of an election, and give the voters an opportunity to verify their signature.

In California, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, over 25,000 residents had their ballots thrown away and not counted in the November 2016 General Election cycle. These mail ballots were thrown out because of a mismatching signature — the voter’s signature on their ballot did not match what was in their file.

While mismatching signatures can occur for a number of reasons, until now there has never been a law that mandates local election officials notify voters that their ballot will be tossed, or provide them with an opportunity to correct the mistake.

“The stakes could not be higher. Voters on all sides of the political aisle will be turning out in droves for the November election and this new law will ensure all votes count here in the Golden State on November 6,” Senator Mike McGuire said. “We’ve been grateful to work with Secretary of State Alex Padilla, the ACLU and local election officials to see this important bill through.”

“A majority of California voters already cast vote-by-mail ballots each election,” said Secretary of State Padilla. “For many voters, signatures may change over time or disabilities may make it difficult to sign the ballot properly. SB 759 ensures that voters have a chance to remedy a signature mismatch on their mail ballot. Once again California is taking steps to improve the elections experience for voters. I thank Governor Brown for signing this measure in time for the upcoming election and affirming voter’s fundamental right to have their ballots counted.”

According to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union last year, California ballots went uncounted because elections officials determined the voter’s signature on the Vote By Mail ballot didn’t match the voter’s signature on file. To make matters worse, residents whose votes were not tallied did not get notified and had no way of correcting their action, let alone casting their ballot in an election.

There are a number of reasons why a signature may not match. For example:

A person may have a disability
The voter’s ability may change or make it difficult to match the signature because of a shaky hand
A different member of the household – such as a spouse or a caretaker – may sign
A voter’s signatures can change or evolve over time
Or the person, such as someone whose second language is English, may be unaware that they have to sign their ballot the same way as it is on file, and sign in the characters of a non-English alphabet.

SB 759 was signed today by Governor Jerry Brown. This bill was adopted with an urgency clause (which also received bipartisan support) to ensure it becomes law prior to this critical November election.

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21 Comments
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Fromthehills
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Fromthehills
5 years ago

Talk about biting your own ass. I hope California goes back conservative.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Fromthehills

Hope springs eternal! 😇🙏🏻⛪️🐘🇷🇺💰
Say “hi” to rapist Republican Brett Kavanaugh while you’re at it, and try to be nice (if you can) to that diminutive dirtbag, since I hear Kavanaugh is distraught over his failed nomination.

#TFA 🏌️‍♂️🚫🔥🇷🇺🔥

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

How did the country give up on being concerned for the opinions of lefties? Because so many of their adherents have no honor in either their actions or their speech. In fact they seem to have the political morals of alley cats, when the slightest whiff of something they might chew on brings a crowd of mewling yet voracious mouths on the attack. Whether it’s real or just their own made up vomit makes no difference as they have only the lowest of standards.

Keep it up. It just reminds everyone else of what they are come election time.

DJ
Guest
DJ
5 years ago

So you would prefer a drunk driving liberal that killed his date?

local observer
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local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  DJ

there were liberals in the 80s?

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  DJ

I’d prefer a non-rapist.
Is that too much to ask?

Apparently it is too much to ask from Trump who after all told all of those “dumb Southerners” (that Trump hates and mocks) they should go out and vote for pedophile rapist Roy Moore. 🐘

Fortunately, rapist Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination is doomed and so are the Senate Republicans in November.

thebigdeal
Guest
thebigdeal
5 years ago

Dianne Fienstein is a horrible senator and a horrible person. Just as bad as Polosi or that dip shit from San Diego-Adam Shif. Huffman is a liberal asshole!

Bushytails
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Bushytails
5 years ago
Reply to  thebigdeal

I’m still trying to figure out how that relates to this bill…

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Bushytails

Ask the Trump obsessed above about its relevance. Because that is where the train derailed.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  thebigdeal

Dianne Feinstein just saved Roe vs. Wade. She has my vote in November.

Lone ranger
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Lone ranger
5 years ago

Sure glad they express lane this Bill, now we can all have fun signing are ballots wrong, LMAO

DELLIB
Guest
DELLIB
5 years ago

The Demons are now intermixed in society. Figures you see in top ranking political structures have gained power and glory. At a fine balancing point; too we all will fall fast and unwilling to their great power into chaos, mass economic depression, disease, overpopulation (of refugees, illegals, and migrants), shortage of services,supplies,goods,structure. I believe we are turning fast to a such condition. Please get out and VOTE!

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  DELLIB

Speaking of Demons, IMPEACH TRUMP!
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🏌️‍♂️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Anti troll league
Guest
Anti troll league
5 years ago

That is a least an honest attack for a change.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago

I’m being perfectly honest when I say Brett Kavanaugh is a rapist, not to mention a terribly unconvincing lying sack of crap.💩

# Brett Kavanaugh Is A Rapist 🐘

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
5 years ago

THe sooner the better, before the Country is like his businesses, BANKRUPT!!!

Divide by Zero
Guest
Divide by Zero
5 years ago

Hey, did you hear the good news? Flores of Texas, a Republican, trashed the liberal in a district held by the democrat for 139 years. Oh yeah, and Ted Cruz just widened his lead to 11 points. Please, keep up the rant.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Divide by Zero

Do any Texans read this blog? And I mean current Texans, not former Texans. Speak up y’all.

By the way, Scott Walker is going to get trounced in Wisconsin. 🧀

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

It is a reasonable idea to provide a notice to the last known address of the discounted voter. And tell them the ways they can fix the mistake if possible. Going to vote in person is the clearest solution. The time frame is silly as a mail in ballot may not even arrive 8 days before the election.

All that needs to be done is to hold the ballot until the timeframe for requesting a recount goes by. Then the ballot can be examined for validity at that point if material.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago

BLUE WAVE, y’all! YEEHAW!! 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🐘🇷🇺💰🏌️‍♂️💩🚽🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago

DEAN HELLER IS DONE, SON! ✅🐘💩

# Just A Little Hiccup