CfER-sponsored AB 1662 would help overcome the frequent disenfranchisement of overseas absentee voters by providing them with a special ranked ballot whenever a runoff election might have to be conducted within 90 days of the preliminary round.

AB 1662 must pass the Senate Appropriations Committee by August 15 at the latest, and may be heard by the committee sooner than that. Please take action to support the bill immediately after reviewing this action page.

AB 1662 Action Page Index and Links

• Introduction - what the bill would do (and why it matters)
• Call to action - contact your state senator now
• Talking points
• Downloadable fact sheet - everything on one page
• Downloadable co-author letter - please ask your state senator to sign
• Bill text and legislative staff analyses on the Legislature's website
• Correcting some misunderstandings - letter to California Association of Clerks and Election Officials
• Chronology
• AB 1662 Wins Broad Support in the Legislature - Voice for Democracy, Summer 2007
• Meanwhile, Back at CfER's Military Overseas Voting Bill - Voice for Democracy, Spring 2008
• More details
• Timing of California Runoff Elections

Call To Action

Urge your state Senator to support and co-author AB 1662

AB 1662 is CfER's bill to use ranked ballots to improve access to the ballot box for overseas absentee voters. It would apply to general elections held within 90 days of the primary. These include all special elections to fill vacancies in the Legislature and Congress and elections in at least 10 charter cities. Overseas absentee voters would be able to return a special ballot ranking all of the candidates on the first-round ballot. If they are unable to return their second-round ballot in time, this ranked ballot would be used to determine their second-round vote.

As detailed in this chronology , AB 1662 passed the Assembly last year and has been approved by the Senate Elections Committee. It is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee, which must approve it by August 15 at the latest. We estimate that the cost of implementation would be at most $100,000, but this year the annual summer budget crisis is more severe than usual. We need to keep the momentum going and build additional support for the bill if it is to be enacted.

We will need your help to get AB 1662 through the Senate and signed by the Governor. We need you to make two contacts today in the state Senate.

(1) Please contact Senator Tom Torlakson, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and urge him to support the bill when it is heard in committee soon. The hearing must be held by August 15 at the absolute latest.

Senator Tom Torlakson
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Postal: State Capitol, Room 5050, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Fax: (916) 445-2527
Email: Senator.Torlakson@senate.ca.gov

(2) Please contact your state Senator today and urge their support for the bill. In particular, please ask that they co-author the bill and send them

You can call, fax, email, or send a postal letter to them. Written comments, especially handwritten letters, have the greatest impact, but do whatever works for you. For contact information for your Senator, please view the Senate roster available here. You can also find out who your Senator is using your address or a map here.

If your senator is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee -- Senators Torlakson (Chair), Cox (Vice Chair), Aanestad, Ashburn, Cedillo, Corbett, Dutton, Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Ridley-Thomas, Runner, Simitian, Wyland, and Yee -- be sure to ask them to support the bill when it is heard in committee.

CONDENSED TALKING POINTS

1. About 20 percent of overseas voters who attempt to vote don't have their votes counted, and the tight deadlines for runoff elections make this problem worse.
2. The federal government urges states to mail overseas ballots by 45 days before election, a deadline that cannot be met in some California runoff elections.
3. Ranked ballots offer a very low cost way for voters who cannot return their runoff ballots in time to participate in runoff elections.
4. The special ranked ballot will be counted only if a regular runoff ballot is not received from the same voter.
5. This process already has a track record and enthusiastic support in Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolinia and Illinois.

For more detailed talking points, see here.

Page last revised July 30, 2008