Elections: Voter Bill of Rights.

Assembly Member Ransom's expansion of California's Voter Bill of Rights adds new provisions for ballot replacement and establishes a dedicated reporting system for election-related concerns. The legislation modifies Section 2300 of the Elections Code to specify that voters can obtain replacement ballots if they do not have their ballot or if their ballot has been damaged, supplementing the existing provision for replacing ballots with mistakes.

The bill requires the Voter Bill of Rights to include a toll-free telephone number where voters can report denied voting rights or election misconduct. These rights must appear in the state voter information guide in 12-point type, though certain technical details may use smaller fonts. The Secretary of State maintains authority to develop implementing regulations and modify language for clarity, while election officials must display the rights on posters at polling places.

The measure preserves other established voter protections, including the rights to cast provisional ballots, receive language assistance, and observe election procedures. Local election officials retain discretion to limit responses to questions that disrupt polling place operations, and the requirement that voters be U.S. citizens who meet age and residency qualifications remains unchanged.