AB2573 - Voter registration information: confidentiality.

Amended IN Senate August 21, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 13, 2026 Amended IN Senate July 01, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 19, 2026 Amended IN Assembly April 07, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2573 Introduced by Assembly Member Sharp-Collins February 20, 2026 An act to amend Section 2166.9 Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, 2166.9, and 2194 of the Elections Code, relating to elections. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2573, as amended, Sharp-Collins. Voter registration information: elected officials and candidates. confidentiality. Under existing law, the residence address, telephone number, and email address of a registered voter is confidential, except that under certain circumstances a county elections official must disclose that information to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, political, or governmental purposes. Existing law exempts from that disclosure requirement the residence address, telephone number, and email address of a federal, state, or local elected official or candidate, unless the official or candidate opts out or the information is sought for bona fide journalistic or governmental purposes. Voters in life-threatening circumstances and voters who participate in specified confidentiality programs may also have their residence address, telephone number, and email address exempted from the disclosure requirement. This bill would expand those exemptions to apply to the voter’s entire voter registration record, except as specified. The bill would recast the provisions creating that exemption. the exemption for the voter registration record of an elected official or candidate. The bill would permit the information of an elected official’s immediate family member who lives at the same residence to be made confidential. For an elected official or candidate’s residence address, telephone number, and email address voter registration record to be confidential, the elected official or candidate would be required to make a written request to the county elections official, and a candidate would also need to qualify to appear on the ballot. The Secretary of State would be required to notify county elections officials when a state or federal candidate qualifies to appear on the ballot, and it would require county elections officials to notify the Secretary of State under certain circumstances if the confidential designation is added to, or removed from, a federal or state elected official or candidate’s voter registration record. The Secretary of State and county elections officials would be required to implement the provisions creating the exemption immediately once the statewide voter registration database and county election management systems have made conforming changes, but the bill states that it does not authorize any reduction in current, ongoing implementation efforts. The bill would require the Secretary of State to develop and implement a process by no later than September 30, 2027, for a person with confidential voter status to vote at a polling place or vote center and retain confidential voter status. To the extent the bill imposes additional requirements on local elections officials, the bill imposes 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 2166 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2166. (a) Any person filing with the county elections official a new affidavit of registration or reregistration may have the information relating to his or her residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit, or any list or roster or index prepared therefrom, their voter registration record declared confidential upon order of a superior court issued upon a showing of good cause that a life-threatening circumstance exists to the voter or a member of the voter’s household, and naming the county elections official as a party. (b) Any person granted confidential voter status under subdivision (a) shall: (1) Provide a valid mailing address and be considered a vote by mail voter for all subsequent elections or until the county elections official is notified otherwise by the court or in writing by the voter. A voter requesting termination of vote by mail status thereby consents to placement of his or her their residence address, telephone number, and email address in the roster of voters. (2) The elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index shall exclude voters with a confidential voter status. This exclusion applies to the voters’ entire voter registration record and includes, but is not limited to, voter participation history and voter registration information before the voters’ confidential voter status. (3) Within 60 days of moving to a new county, obtain an order from the superior court of the new county pursuant to subdivision (a). The elections official of the new county, upon notice of the confidential voter moving into the county, shall do all of the following: (A) Contact the confidential voter and provide information regarding the application for confidential voter status in the new county. (B) Honor the confidential voter status from the former county for 60 days from the date of notice. (C) Pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), exclude the confidential voter in any list, roster, or index during the 60-day period. (D) Remove the confidential voter status if the new voter has not provided a court order to the new county during the 60-day period. (c) No action in negligence may be maintained against any government entity or officer or employee thereof as a result of the disclosure of the information which is the subject of this section unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. SEC. 2. Section 2166.5 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2166.5. (a) Any person filing with the county elections official a new affidavit of registration or reregistration may have the information relating to their residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit, or any list or roster or index prepared therefrom, their voter registration record declared confidential upon presentation of certification that the person is a participant in the Address Confidentiality for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking program pursuant to Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, or a participant in the Address Confidentiality for Reproductive Health Care Service Providers, Employees, Volunteers, Patients, and Other Individuals Who Face Threats or Violence Because of Work for a Public Entity program pursuant to Chapter 3.2 (commencing with Section 6215) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code. (b) Any person granted confidential voter status under subdivision (a) shall: (1) Provide a valid mailing address and be considered a vote by mail voter for all subsequent elections and all subsequent reregistrations inside or outside the county until the county elections official is notified otherwise by the Secretary of State or in writing by the voter. A voter requesting termination of vote by mail status thereby consents to placement of their residence address, telephone number, and email address in the roster of voters. (2) The elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index shall exclude voters with a confidential voter status. This exclusion applies to the voters’ entire voter registration record and includes, but is not limited to, voter participation history and voter registration information before the voters’ confidential voter status. (c) An action in negligence shall not be maintained against any government entity or officer or employee thereof as a result of the disclosure of the information that is the subject of this section unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. (d) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to any person granted confidentiality upon receipt by the county elections official of a written notice by the address confidentiality program manager of the withdrawal, invalidation, expiration, or termination of the program participant’s certification. SEC. 3. Section 2166.7 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2166.7. (a) If authorized by the county board of supervisors, a county elections official shall, upon application of a public safety officer, make confidential that officer’s residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit of registration, voter registration record in accordance with the terms and conditions of this section. (b) The application by the public safety officer shall contain a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that the person is a public safety officer as defined in subdivision (f) and that a life-threatening circumstance exists to the officer or a member of the officer’s family. The application shall be a public record. (c) The confidentiality granted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall terminate no more than two years after commencement, as determined by the county elections official. The officer may submit a new application for confidentiality pursuant to subdivision (a), and the new request may be granted for an additional period of not more than two years. (d) Any person granted confidential voter status under subdivision (a) shall: (1) Provide a valid mailing address and be considered a vote by mail voter for all subsequent elections or until the county elections official is notified otherwise by the Secretary of State or in writing by the voter. A voter requesting termination of vote by mail status thereby consents to placement of the voter’s residence address, telephone number, and email address in the roster of voters. (2) The elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index, shall exclude voters with a confidential voter status. This exclusion applies to the voters’ entire voter registration record and includes, but is not limited to, voter participation history and voter registration information before the voters’ confidential voter status. (3) Within 60 days of moving to a new county, if available in the new county, apply for confidential voter status pursuant to subdivision (a). The elections official of the new county, upon notice of the confidential voter moving into the county, shall do all of the following: (A) Contact the confidential voter and provide information regarding the application for confidential voter status in the new county. (B) Honor the confidential voter status from the former county for 60 days from the date of notice. (C) Pursuant to paragraph (2), exclude the confidential voter in any list, roster, or index during the 60-day period. (D) Remove the confidential voter status if the new voter has not obtained or cannot obtain confidential voter status pursuant to this section in the new county during the 60-day period. (e) No action in negligence may be maintained against any government entity or officer or employee thereof as a result of the disclosure of the information that is the subject of this section unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. (f) “A public safety officer” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (a), (d), (e), (f), or (j) of Section 7920.535 of the Government Code. SEC. 4. Section 2166.8 of the Elections Code is amended to read: 2166.8. (a) A county elections official shall, upon application of a qualified worker, make confidential that worker’s residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit of registration, voter registration record in accordance with the terms and conditions of this section. (b) The application by the qualified worker shall contain a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, that the person is a qualified worker as defined in subdivision (f) and that a life-threatening circumstance exists as to the qualified worker or a member of the worker’s family. The application shall be a public record. (c) The confidentiality granted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall terminate no more than two years after commencement, as determined by the county elections official. The officer may submit a new application for confidentiality pursuant to subdivision (a), and the new request may be granted for an additional period of not more than two years. (d) The following apply to a person granted confidential voter status under subdivision (a): (1) The elections official, in producing any list, roster, or index, shall exclude voters with a confidential voter status. This exclusion applies to the voters’ entire voter registration record and includes, but is not limited to, voter participation history and voter registration information before the voters’ confidential voter status. (2) The person shall, within 60 days of moving to a new county, apply for confidential voter status pursuant to subdivision (a). The elections official of the new county, upon notice of the confidential voter moving into the county, shall do all of the following: (A) Contact the confidential voter and provide information regarding the application for confidential voter status in the new county. (B) Honor the confidential voter status from the former county for 60-days from the date of notice. (C) Pursuant to paragraph (1), exclude the confidential voter in any list, roster, or index during the 60-day period. (D) Remove the confidential voter status if the new voter has not obtained or cannot obtain confidential voter status pursuant to this section in the new county during the 60-day period. (e) An action in negligence shall not be maintained against any government entity or officer or employee thereof as a result of the disclosure of the information that is the subject of this section except by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness. (f) “Qualified worker” means a person who is employed by or contracts with the Secretary of State or a local election office who performs election-related work and interacts with the public or is observed by the public doing election-related work, but does not include a person who is a precinct board member who does not otherwise perform election-related work. For the purposes of this section, a qualified worker is not limited to those who exclusively perform d [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]