Voter education and outreach plans.

Assembly Member Sharp-Collins' voter education legislation redefines how California counties approach voter outreach and registration, shifting from state-mandated programs to locally tailored education plans. The measure replaces existing requirements that empowered the Secretary of State to design and enforce county voter registration programs with a new framework focused on voter education and outreach.

Under the proposed changes, counties that do not conduct all-mailed ballot elections must develop and implement voter education plans aimed at identifying unregistered voters and encouraging electoral participation. These plans must address specific topics, including online voter registration, vote-by-mail procedures, ballot tracking services, and options for military and overseas voters. The Secretary of State would provide counties with plan templates and maintain current versions of all county plans on the state website, while counties must submit plan updates by October 1 of each odd-numbered year.

The legislation maintains state oversight while granting counties more flexibility in their approach to voter engagement. Where current law allows the Secretary of State to intervene directly in county programs and report violations to the Attorney General, the new provisions focus on standardization through templates and public transparency through online plan publication. Counties that incur costs implementing these new requirements may seek reimbursement through established state mandate procedures.