Section § 2196

Explanation

This law allows eligible California residents with a valid driver's license or state ID to register to vote online via the Secretary of State's website. The registration is valid if submitted by the last day to register for an election. Applicants must confirm their information is true and agree to use their signature on file for voter registration purposes.

The Secretary of State will verify the applicant's details, such as driver's license number and date of birth, with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before completing the registration. Security measures are implemented to ensure data integrity.

If someone cannot submit certain required information online, they can still complete the form electronically, print it, and send it via mail to the relevant authorities. Additionally, the DMV supports this process in line with federal voter registration duties.

(a)Copy CA Elections Code § 2196(a)
(1)Copy CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other law, a person who is qualified to register to vote and who has a valid California driver’s license or state identification card may submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Secretary of State’s internet website.
(2)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(2) An affidavit submitted pursuant to this section is effective upon receipt of the affidavit by the Secretary of State if the affidavit is received on or before the last day to register for an election to be held in the precinct of the person submitting the affidavit.
(3)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(3) The affiant shall affirmatively attest to the truth of the information provided in the affidavit.
(4)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(4) The affidavit shall contain, before or at the time that the applicant affirmatively assents to the use of the applicant’s signature pursuant to paragraph (5), a statement that the county elections official shall compare the affiant’s signature appearing on an identification envelope for the return of a vote by mail ballot cast in a future election with the signatures appearing in the voter’s registration record, including the signature appearing on the applicant’s driver’s license or state identification card.
(5)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(5) For voter registration purposes, the applicant shall affirmatively assent to the use of the applicant’s signature from the applicant’s driver’s license or state identification card.
(6)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(6) For each electronic affidavit, the Secretary of State shall obtain an electronic copy of the applicant’s signature from the applicant’s driver’s license or state identification card directly from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(7)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(7) The Secretary of State shall require a person who submits an affidavit pursuant to this section to submit all of the following:
(A)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(7)(A) The number from the person’s California driver’s license or state identification card.
(B)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(7)(B) The person’s date of birth.
(C)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(7)(C) The last four digits of the person’s social security number.
(D)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(7)(D) Any other information the Secretary of State deems necessary to establish the identity of the affiant.
(8)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(8) Upon submission of an affidavit pursuant to this section, the electronic voter registration system shall provide for immediate verification of both of the following:
(A)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(8)(A) That the applicant has a California driver’s license or state identification card and that the number for that driver’s license or identification card provided by the applicant matches the number for that person’s driver’s license or identification card that is on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(B)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(8)(B) That the date of birth provided by the applicant matches the date of birth for that person that is on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(9)CA Elections Code § 2196(a)(9) The Secretary of State shall employ security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of affidavits of voter registration submitted electronically pursuant to this section.
(b)CA Elections Code § 2196(b) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall use the electronic voter registration system required by this section to comply with its duties and responsibilities as a voter registration agency pursuant to the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20501 et seq.).
(c)CA Elections Code § 2196(c) The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of State shall maintain a process and the infrastructure to allow the electronic copy of the applicant’s signature and other information required under this section that is in the possession of the department to be transferred to the Secretary of State and to the county election management systems to allow a person who is qualified to register to vote in California to register to vote under this section.
(d)CA Elections Code § 2196(d) If an applicant cannot electronically submit the information required pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a), the applicant shall nevertheless be able to complete the affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Secretary of State’s internet website, print a hard copy of the completed affidavit, and mail or deliver the hard copy of the completed affidavit to the Secretary of State or the appropriate county elections official.

Section § 2197

Explanation

By July 1, 2014, the California Health Benefit Exchange is required to set up an online system so that anyone applying for services or updating their information through the Exchange can also register to vote online. This process must work through the Secretary of State's website.

No later than July 1, 2014, the California Health Benefit Exchange shall implement a process and the infrastructure to allow a person who applies online with the California Health Benefit Exchange for service or assistance, or who submits a recertification, renewal, or change of address form relating to the service or assistance online, to submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State in accordance with this chapter.

Section § 2198

Explanation

This law requires that every state-run website in California must have a direct link on its homepage to the online voter registration page of the California Secretary of State's website.

Each Internet Web site maintained by the state shall include a hyperlink on the site’s homepage to the online voter registration page of the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State.