(1) Existing law imposes ballot layout specifications, including specific requirements relating to the placement of certain contests, the size and font of text, and the instructions provided to voters.
This bill would revise and recast these provisions. The bill would specify the font and location of certain text and would revise the ballot instructions provided to voters. The bill would require those instructions to communicate to voters, in plain language, how to cast a vote in a contest, how to write in a candidate, and what to do if a mistake is made.
(2) Existing law requires a ballot for a recall election for a state officer to include the names of the candidates nominated to succeed the officer sought to be recalled and a space to enter the name of a write-in candidate.
This bill would additionally require a ballot for a recall election for a state officer to include instructions explaining that the recall election includes two contests, one for whether to recall the officer and the other for the officer's successor if the recall is successful, and that voters may cast a vote in either or both of those contests.
(3) Existing law prohibits casting or counting in any election ballots not printed in accordance with the ballot layout specifications prescribed in state law.
This bill would instead prohibit casting or counting ballots not printed in substantial compliance with the ballot layout specifications.
(4) To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on county elections officials relating to the preparation of ballots, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
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.

Statutes affected:
AB1219: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
02/16/23 - Introduced: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
03/30/23 - Amended Assembly: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
05/30/23 - Amended Senate: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
06/12/23 - Amended Senate: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
09/01/23 - Amended Senate: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
09/12/23 - Enrolled: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
10/10/23 - Chaptered: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC
AB 1219: 301 ELEC, 302 ELEC, 303 ELEC, 303.3 ELEC, 305 ELEC, 6821 ELEC, 10704 ELEC, 11320 ELEC, 11322 ELEC, 11323 ELEC, 13105 ELEC, 13200 ELEC, 13202 ELEC, 13203 ELEC, 13204 ELEC, 13205 ELEC, 13206 ELEC, 13206.5 ELEC, 13208 ELEC, 13209 ELEC, 13210 ELEC, 13211 ELEC, 13211.5 ELEC, 13212 ELEC, 13213 ELEC, 13214 ELEC, 13216 ELEC, 13216.5 ELEC, 13233 ELEC, 13260 ELEC, 13261 ELEC, 13262 ELEC, 13263 ELEC, 13264 ELEC, 13265 ELEC, 13266 ELEC, 13267 ELEC, 14284 ELEC, 14285 ELEC, 14286 ELEC, 14443 ELEC, 15210 ELEC, 15211 ELEC, 15360 ELEC