DATE: June 6, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Brandi L. Orth, County Clerk/Registrar of Voters
SUBJECT: Support Letter for The Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2018
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Authorize Chairman to execute support letter for the Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2018 (AB 668) which, if approved by the Legislature, would be placed on the June 2018 general election ballot and would authorize the State of California to issue and sell bonds in the amount of $450 million to establish a fund to be used to assist counties to purchase or lease new voting systems that are certified or conditionally approved by the Secretary of State.
REPORT
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If AB 668 is not chaptered and approved by the voters and no additional action is taken by the Legislature, the County may have to pay the costs of replacing the present County voting systems which are rapidly approaching obsolescence.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. In September 2016 Governor Brown signed into law the California Voter's Choice Act (CVCA) providing Counties the option of implementing a plan to move from traditional precinct-site voting to an election system using a combination of vote-by-mail (VBM) balloting and a mandated number of "voting assistance centers" (the number of centers are based on a formula identified in the bill, open for ten days prior to, up to including Election Day). Under AB 668 if a county implements the CVCA "voting assistance centers" plan, the county would be required to match state funds disbursed from the AB 668-created fund at a ratio of one county dollar for every three state dollars. Counties not conducting elections pursuant to CVCA may still apply for funds from the AB 668-created fund, but must match at a ratio of one county dollar for every two state dollars.
DISCUSSION:
Assembly Bill 668 (AB 668) authored by Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher seeks to appropriate $...
Click here for full text