(a) The local elections official may offer a voter the ability to electronically apply for a vote by mail voter’s ballot. If the local elections official offers the uniform electronic application, the electronic application shall be in an interactive Internet format to be completed through the local elections official’s secure Internet Web site and may not be a downloadable form. The nondownloadable form shall be of a format that would allow the registered voter making an application for a vote by mail voter’s ballot to enter the required information and submit the single form directly to the elections official’s secure Internet Web site. The local elections official shall make every effort to ensure the security of the submitted information.
(b) Upon receiving an electronic vote by mail ballot application that contains the required information within the proper time, the elections official shall check the information provided against the voter’s information on file. If the elections official deems the applicant entitled to a vote by mail voter’s ballot, the elections official shall deliver the appropriate vote by mail voter’s ballot by mail or in person.
(c) If the elections official determines that an electronic vote by mail ballot application does not contain all of the required information, or for any other reason is defective, and the elections official is able to ascertain the voter’s address, the elections official may not mail the voter a vote by mail voter’s ballot, but shall mail the voter a notice of defect. The notice of defect shall do both of the following:
(1) Specifically inform the voter of the information that is required or the reason for the defect in the application.
(2) State the procedure necessary to remedy the defective application.
(d) An address, as required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 3007.5, may not be the address of any political party, a political campaign headquarters, or a candidate’s residence. However, a candidate, his or her spouse, immediate family members, and any other voter who shares the same residence address as the candidate may request that a vote by mail ballot be mailed to the candidate’s residence address.
(e) Except as provided in Section 3007.5 and this section, all other sections of this code pertaining to vote by mail voter applications, submissions, deadlines, and canvassing shall apply to electronic vote by mail ballot applications and applicants.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 508, Sec. 21. Effective January 1, 2008.)