AB827 - Voting: signature verification.

Assembly Bill No. 827 CHAPTER 279 An act to amend Sections 2194, 3019, 3019.7, and 15301 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. [ Approved by Governor October 03, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 03, 2025. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 827, Berman. Voting: signature verification. (1) Existing law requires an elections official who receives a vote by mail ballot to compare the signature on the identification envelope with the signature in the voter’s registration record. If the signature does not compare, or if the identification envelope is missing the signature, the elections official must provide notice to the voter no later than 8 days before certification of the election of the voter’s opportunity to verify their signature. The voter may verify their signature no later than 5 p.m. 2 days before certification of the election, including, if applicable, by providing their signature on an unsigned identification statement. This bill would reduce those deadlines for a regularly scheduled statewide election to no later than 14 calendar days after the election for the elections official to provide notice, and no later than 5 p.m. 22 calendar days after the election for the voter to verify their signature. For an election that is not a regularly scheduled statewide election, the bill would reduce those deadlines to 8 calendar days before certification of the election for the elections official to provide notice, and no later than 5 p.m. 2 calendar days before certification of the election for the voter to verify their signature. The bill would permit an elections official to use a vote by mail ballot drop box to receive the form used by the voter to verify their signature pursuant to these provisions. The bill would require an elections official who receives a completed unsigned identification statement that is not timely submitted to compare the signatures and, if the signatures compare, add the signature to the voter’s registration record for use in future elections. (2) Existing law requires the official canvass of an election to commence no later than the Thursday following the election, as specified, and to continue daily, with the exception of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, for not less than 6 hours each day until completed. This bill would specify that if the only ballots left to count are those for which a voter has been provided, or will be provided, the opportunity to verify or to provide their signature, and the elections official does not need to conduct the official canvas for at least 6 hours per day in order to meet the deadline for certification of the results, then the canvass may be conducted for fewer than 6 hours per day until completed. (3) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 2194 of the Elections Code proposed by AB 1392 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1392 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. The bill would also incorporate additional changes to Section 3019 of the Elections Code proposed by SB 3 to be operative only if this bill and SB 3 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (4) By imposing new duties on local elections officials, the 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. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 2194 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2194. (a) Except as provided in Section 2194.1, the affidavit of voter registration information identified in Section 7924.000 of the Government Code: (1) Shall be confidential and shall not appear on any computer terminal, list, affidavit, duplicate affidavit, or other medium routinely available to the public at the county elections official’s office. (2) Shall not be used for any personal, private, or commercial purpose, including, but not limited to: (A) The harassment of any voter or voter’s household. (B) The advertising, solicitation, sale, or marketing of products or services to any voter or voter’s household. (C) Reproduction in print, broadcast visual or audio, or display on the internet or any computer terminal unless pursuant to paragraph (3). (3) Shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State. (4) May be used by the Secretary of State for the purpose of educating voters pursuant to Section 12173 of the Government Code. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the California driver’s license number, the California identification card number, the social security number, and any other unique identifier used by the State of California for purposes of voter identification shown on the affidavit of voter registration of a registered voter, or added to voter registration records to comply with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.), are confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person. (2) Notwithstanding any other law, the signature of the voter shown on the affidavit of voter registration or an image thereof is confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person, except as provided in subdivision (c). (c) (1) The home address or signature of any voter shall be released whenever the person’s vote is challenged pursuant to Sections 15105 to 15108, inclusive, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 14240) of Chapter 3 of Division 14. The address or signature shall be released only to the challenger, to elections officials, and to other persons as necessary to make, defend against, or adjudicate the challenge. (2) An elections official shall permit a person to view the signature of a voter for the purpose of determining whether the signature compares with a signature on an affidavit of registration or an image thereof or a petition, but shall not permit a signature to be copied. (d) A governmental entity, or officer or employee thereof, shall not be held civilly liable as a result of disclosure of the information referred to in this section, unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. (e) For purposes of this section, “voter’s household” is defined as the voter’s place of residence or mailing address or any persons who reside at the place of residence or use the mailing address as supplied on the affidavit of registration pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 2150. (f) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, information regarding voters who did not sign a vote by mail ballot identification envelope or whose signature on the vote by mail ballot identification envelope did not compare with the voter’s signature on file shall be treated as confidential voter registration information pursuant to this section and Section 7924.000 of the Government Code. This information shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State, but otherwise shall not be disclosed to any person. Any disclosure of this information shall be accompanied by a notice to the recipient regarding Sections 18109 and 18540. (2) Voter information provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be updated daily, include the name of the voter, and be provided in a searchable electronic format. The daily update shall also include, as applicable, information regarding whether a form has been received from the voter to verify their signature pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 3019, whether a form has been received or the voter has otherwise provided a signature pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 3019, and whether the signature provided pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3019 did or did not compare. SEC. 1.5. Section 2194 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2194. (a) Except as provided in Section 2194.1, the affidavit of voter registration information identified in Section 7924.000 of the Government Code: (1) Shall be confidential and shall not appear on any computer terminal, list, affidavit, duplicate affidavit, or other medium routinely available to the public at the county elections official’s office. (2) Shall not be used for any personal, private, or commercial purpose, including, but not limited to: (A) The harassment of any voter or voter’s household. (B) The advertising, solicitation, sale, or marketing of products or services to any voter or voter’s household. (C) Reproduction in print, broadcast visual or audio, or display on the internet or any computer terminal unless pursuant to paragraph (3). (3) Shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, 2166.9, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State. (4) May be used by the Secretary of State for the purpose of educating voters pursuant to Section 12173 of the Government Code. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the California driver’s license number, the California identification card number, the social security number, and any other unique identifier used by the State of California for purposes of voter identification shown on the affidavit of voter registration of a registered voter, or added to voter registration records to comply with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.), are confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person. (2) Notwithstanding any other law, the signature of the voter shown on the affidavit of voter registration or an image thereof is confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person, except as provided in subdivision (c). (c) (1) The home address or signature of any voter shall be released whenever the person’s vote is challenged pursuant to Sections 15105 to 15108, inclusive, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 14240) of Chapter 3 of Division 14. The address or signature shall be released only to the challenger, to elections officials, and to other persons as necessary to make, defend against, or adjudicate the challenge. (2) An elections official shall permit a person to view the signature of a voter for the purpose of determining whether the signature compares with a signature on an affidavit of registration or an image thereof or a petition, but shall not permit a signature to be copied. (d) A governmental entity, or officer or employee thereof, shall not be held civilly liable as a result of disclosure of the information referred to in this section, unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. (e) For purposes of this section, “voter’s household” is defined as the voter’s place of residence or mailing address or any persons who reside at the place of residence or use the mailing address as supplied on the affidavit of registration pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 2150. (f) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, information regarding voters who did not sign a vote by mail ballot identification envelope or whose signature on the vote by mail ballot identification envelope did not compare with the voter’s signature on file shall be treated as confidential voter registration information pursuant to this section and Section 7924.000 of the Government Code. This information shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, 2166.9, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State, but otherwise shall not be disclosed to any person. Any disclosure of this information shall be accompanied by a notice to the recipient regarding Sections 18109 and 18540. (2) Voter information provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be updated daily, include the name of the voter, and be provided in a searchable electronic format. The daily update shall also include, as applicable, information regarding whether a form has been received from the voter to verify their signature pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 3019, whether a form has been received or the voter has otherwise provided a signature pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 3019, and whether the signature provided pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 3019 did or did not compare. SEC. 2. Section 3019 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 3019. (a) (1) Upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, the elections official shall compare the signature on the identification envelope with either of the following to determine if the signatures compare: (A) The signature appearing on the voter’s affidavit of registration or any previous affidavit of registration of the voter. (B) The signature appearing on a form issued by an elections official that contains the voter’s signature and that is part of the voter’s registration record. (2) All of the following apply to the comparison of signatures pursuant to this section, including the comparison of a voter’s signature on a signature verification statement, an unsigned identification envelope statement, or a combined vote by mail ballot signature verification statement and unsigned identification envelope statement, with the signature that is part of the voter’s registration record: (A) A presumption exists that the signature on the identification envelope, signature verification statement, unsigned identification envelope statement, or provisional ballot envelope is the voter’s signature. (B) An exact match is not required for an elections officia [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]