BILL NUMBER: AB 624AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Monning FEBRUARY 25, 2009 An act to amend Section 12223 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 624, as amended, Monning. Elections:voter participation.election precincts.The California Constitution authorizes any person who is a United States citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a resident of the state to vote, subject to certain restrictions, such as the prohibition of voting by individuals then imprisoned. Existing law establishes the requirements for registering to vote and the conduct of elections.This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to increase voter participation in statewide elections.Existing law requires the boundaries of an election precinct to be fixed so that it contains no more than 1,000 voters on the 88th day prior to the election. This bill would authorize a local elections official to subtract permanent vote by mail voters from that total. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 12223 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 12223. (a) Whenever a jurisdiction is divided into election precincts or whenever the boundary of an established precinct is changed or a new precinct is created, the precinct boundary shall be fixed in a manner so that the number of voters in the precinct does not exceed 1,000 on the 88th day prior to the day of election, unless otherwise provided by law. (b)This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.An elections official may subtract the number of permanent vote by mail voters, pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 3200) of Division 3, from the total number of voters for purposes of complying with subdivision (a) if after subtracting the number of permanent vote by mail voters, the number of voters in the precinct does not exceed the percentage of nonpermanent vote by mail voters in the jurisdiction on the 88th day prior to the election multiplied by 1,000, unless otherwise provided by law.SECTION 1.It is the intent of the Legislature to increase voter participation in statewide elections.