The proposed bill, SB1656, mandates that the county board of supervisors, county recorder, and the county officer in charge of elections must maintain a detailed chain of custody record for ballot paper. This record will start when the ballot paper is received by the county and will continue through both the printing process and the voting process for each individual voter.

This new requirement adds a layer of accountability and transparency to the election process, ensuring that there is a documented trail for ballot paper from its receipt to its use in elections. Currently, there is no such explicit requirement in the law, which could lead to potential gaps in tracking the handling of ballot paper. The bill is set to take effect on the general effective date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 16-505
Senate Engrossed Version: 16-505