Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 819, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2004.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the Student Voter Registration Act of 2003.
Article 3.5 - Student Voter Registration
California Elections Code — §§ 2145-2148.5
Sections (5)
Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 593, Sec. 2. (AB 1446) Effective January 1, 2015.
(a)The Secretary of State shall annually provide every high school, community college, and California State University and University of California campus with voter registration forms. The Secretary of State shall provide additional forms to a school, free of charge, if so requested by a school.
(b)The Secretary of State shall provide a written notice with each registration form describing eligibility requirements and informing each student that he or she may return the completed form in person or by mail to the elections official of the county in which the student resides or to the Secretary of State.
(c)(1) (A) Every community college and California State University campus that operates an automated class registration system on or before January 1, 2008, shall, through an automated program, in coordination with the Secretary of State, permit students, during the class registration process, to apply to register to vote online by submitting an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State.
(B) A community college or California State University campus that does not operate an automated class registration system on or before January 1, 2008, shall, within two years of implementing an automated class registration system, through an automated program in coordination with the Secretary of State, permit students, during the class registration process, to apply to register to vote online by submitting an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary
of State.
(2)As soon as a community college or California State University or University of California campus complies with paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may continue, at his or her discretion, to provide the campus with voter registration forms unless the campus requests not to receive the voter registration forms.
(3)The University of California is encouraged to comply with this subdivision.
(d)The Secretary of State shall submit to the Legislature, on or before January 1 of each year, a report on its student voter registration efforts pursuant to this article. This report shall include estimates as to how many voter registration forms were sent to high schools, community colleges, and California State University and University of California campuses; how many voter registration forms were submitted; and
how many electronic affidavits of voter registration were submitted by students pursuant to subdivision (c).
(e)It is the intent of the Legislature that every eligible high school and college student receive a meaningful opportunity to apply to register to vote. It is also the intent of the Legislature that every school do all in its power to ensure that students are provided the opportunity and means to apply to register to vote. This may include providing voter registration forms at the start of the school year, including voter registration forms with orientation materials; placing voter registration forms at central locations, including voter registration forms with graduation materials; or providing hyperlinks to,
and the Internet Web site address of, the Secretary of State’s electronic voter registration system in notices sent by electronic mail to students and placed on the Internet Web site of the high school, college, or university.
Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 417, Sec. 2. (AB 2455) Effective January 1, 2017.
No later than July 1, 2018, the California State University and the California Community Colleges shall implement a process and the infrastructure to allow a person who enrolls online at the institution to submit an affidavit of voter registration electronically on the Internet Web site of the Secretary of State in accordance with Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 2196). The University of California is encouraged to coordinate with the Secretary of State pursuant to this section.
Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 481, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2008.
(a)Every high school, community college, and California State University campus shall designate a contact person and provide his or her address, telephone number, and e-mail address, when possible, to the Secretary of State for the Secretary of State to contact in order to facilitate the distribution of voter registration cards, as provided under this article.
(b)The University of California is encouraged to comply with this subdivision.
Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 559, Sec. 3. (AB 963) Effective January 1, 2020.
(a)The Secretary of State shall promote and seek to improve student voter registration rates and participation by developing a Students Vote Project to implement the requirements of Section 66852 of the Education Code.
(b)Through the Students Vote Project, the Secretary of State shall provide to the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California, or campuses thereof, the materials and resources required by Section 66852 of the Education Code, including print calendars with civic- and election-related dates.
(c)The Secretary of State shall establish and maintain an internet web page for the Students Vote Project, which shall
include the dates and information required to be distributed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 66852 of the Education Code.