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ELECTION DAY VOTER REGISTRATION.
VOTER FRAUD PENALTIES.
Initiative Statute

THE QUESTION

Should legally eligible California residents presenting proof of current residence be allowed to register to vote on Election Day?

PROVISIONS

Election Day Registration. This measure allows eligible citizens, upon presenting proof of current residence, to register up to and including Election Day. Under the measure, citizens registering on or after the 28^th day before an election must do so at the county election office, or at a polling place on Election Day. Local election officials must provide a separate area and at least one trained staff member at each polling place for Election Day voter registration. Additionally, the Secretary of State must include information about Election Day voter registration as part of all voter education efforts.

Election Day Registration Fund. This measure establishes the "Election Day Registration Fund" within the State Treasury. Each year, approximately $6 million would be deposited into this fund from the state's General Fund and distributed to counties for their costs of Election Day voter registration including hiring and training additional personnel, providing voter registration materials, and expanding voter outreach programs. Counties receiving money from the fund would be required to submit an annual report identifying their expenditures.

Increased Penalties for Voter Fraud. This measure increases the penalties for fraudulent registration or voting activity. It also creates a new crime of conspiracy of two or more people who commit specified election fraud, punishable by imprisonment in state prison.

BACKGROUND

Under current law, Californians who want to vote in an upcoming election must register with county election officials by the 15^th day before the election. Currently, no proof of current residence is required to register to vote.

FISCAL EFFECT

This measure annually appropriates $6 million (adjusted for cost-of-living increases) from the state's General Fund for the county costs of Election Day voter registration activities. As a result, no net costs to counties are anticipated.

The Secretary of State would incur minor costs to carry out the requirements of this measure. The state also would incur, unknown, but probably minor, criminal justice costs for individuals who commit a newly established election fraud offense.

IMPACT OF YES OR NO VOTE

A YES vote means that eligible California residents could register and then vote on election day, provided they showed their drivers' licenses or two other pieces of address verification as specified in the measure, and that penalties for voter fraud would be increased.

A NO vote means that the present system, whereby a California resident must have registered 15 days prior to the election in order to vote on Election Day, will continue.

SUPPORTERS SAY

• Every California citizen who is legally eligible should be able to vote on Election Day.
• Proposition 52 provides new safeguards against fraud by doubling the penalties for voting illegally and by making conspiracy to commit voter fraud a felony.
• Studies of the six states allowing Election Day registration show 3-6% greater voter turnout than California--which would equate to more than 1 million more voters for California.

OPPONENTS SAY

• Proposition 52 allows a person to register on Election Day and cast a ballot, without showing a photo ID or other official government ID.
• The dangers of fraud in Election Day registration are too great a risk in a state the size of California.
• Forty-four states, including those close to California in size, do not allow Election Day registration.

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION

Official ballot arguments in support are signed by Lee Baca, Los Angeles County Sheriff; March Fong Eu, Former Secretary of State; Barbara Inatsugu, President, League of Women Voters of California; Rocky Delgadillo, Los Angeles City Attorney.

Official ballot arguments in opposition are signed by Honorable Jan Scully, District Attorney of Sacramento County; Honorable Mike Carona, Sheriff of Orange County; Sharon Runner, Co-Chair, Citizens & Law Enforcement Against Election Fraud; Honorable Ed Jagels, District Attorney of Kern County; Roy Burns, President, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs; Jill Schall, President, Women Prosecutors of California.

For more information:

Supporters

Californians for Election Day Registration, (916) 443-7011, www.electiondayreg.com

Opponents

Citizens and Law Enforcement Against Election Fraud, (916) 444-1502, www.stopvotefraud.com

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