Elections: voter registration.

Assembly Member Berman's voter registration modernization measure expands electronic registration options to California residents who lack driver's licenses or state identification cards, allowing them to register using their Social Security number and an uploaded signature image. The bill creates a new pathway for these individuals to submit registration affidavits through the Secretary of State's website by providing the last four digits of their Social Security number along with their full name and date of birth for identity verification.

Under the proposed system, applicants without state-issued IDs must upload a high-quality digital image of their signature through an accessible interface that accommodates people with disabilities. County election officials can then use these uploaded signatures to verify vote-by-mail ballot envelopes, similar to how they currently match signatures from driver's licenses and state IDs. The Secretary of State must develop secure processes to authenticate registrants' identities and transmit signature images to county election management systems.

The changes take effect either on January 1, 2027, or five days after the Secretary of State certifies that the required technological infrastructure is operational, whichever comes first. The bill maintains existing electronic registration procedures for those with California driver's licenses or state IDs while adding these new provisions to expand access. Applicants who cannot complete the electronic process may still submit paper registration forms by mail or in person.