Cal. Code Regs. tit. 2 § 20931

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 49, December 6, 2024
Section 20931 - Residence Address
(a) A petition signature shall be included in a raw count and the signature shall be subject to signature verification if:
(1) The signer provides the correct house number and street name, but the apartment field is either blank or contains a different letter or number than what is reflected in the voter's registration record.
(2) The signer provides the correct house number but abbreviates the street name or uses another name for the street, and the elections official can determine the address.
(A) Example - 132 Hollywood B1. is written on the petition, but the full name of the street is Hollywood Boulevard.
(B) Example - 1234 Hwy 49 (old street name) is written on the petition, but the signer's residence address in the voter's registration record is 1234 Coloma Road (new/current street name).
(3) The signer provides the correct street name and house number but omits or provides a different fraction than what the signer's residence address in the voter's registration record.
(4) The signer provides a P.O. Box and a street address in the same box, if the street address matches the residence address in the voter's registration record.
(5) The signer provides their previous address and the current address and moved during the time the petition section was circulated, and the voter was properly registered at one of the addresses during the time the petition section was circulated.
(6) The signer provides their residence address (street name, house number, and zip code), but fails to provide the city.
(7) The signer provides their residence address (street name and house number) but abbreviates or uses another name for the city.
(A) Example of an acceptable abbreviation for a city - 456 Main Street, CV, 12345 (on petition) and 456 Main Street, Chula Vista, CA 12345 (in the signer's registration record).
(B) Example of an acceptable city name change - 123 Broadway Street, Hollywood, CA 12345 (on the petition) and 123 Broadway Street, Los Angeles, CA 12345 (in the signer's registration record).
(8) The signer uses cursive writing in the space designated for the signer's printed name, if the signer can be identified. However, if the signer cannot be identified, the signature shall be included in the raw count, but the signature shall not be subject to the signature verification.
(9) The signer either adds or omits a suffix such as Jr. or II from either the petition or the voter's registration record, as long as the signer provides the correct residence address.
(10) If the signer provides one of the following non-traditional residence addresses, or provides a residence address that differs from the residence address on the voter's registration record, but is within the same nontraditional precinct:
(A) Native American Indian Reservation - If the provided residence address is assigned by the tribe or a non-public agency and the move is within the reservation. However, if the provided residence address is assigned by a public agency and is listed in the official street file or in the county elections management system, any change would invalidate the provided residence address, and therefore the signature would not be subject to signature verification.
(B) Marina or boat slip - If the provided residence address is within the same marina.
(C) University - If the provided residence address is in the same building or residence hall and has the same street number.
(D) Military base - If the provided residence address is a non-traditional address or equivalent. However, if the provided residence address is a traditional address and is listed in the official street file or in the county elections management system, any change would invalidate the provided residence address and therefore the signature would not be subject to signature verification.
(E) Mobile home park - If the provided residence address is within the same mobile home park and contains the same street number.
(11) If an address change due to an address update label affixed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) is made to a voter record after the petition is circulated, and:
(A) The voter's address on the petition is the same as the address provided via an address update label affixed by the USPS and the registration effective date (or the transaction date if the registration date was not updated by the transaction) is on or before the date the voter signed the petition. However, if the voter's address on the petition is the same as the address provided via an address update label affixed by the USPS and the registration effective date (or the transaction date if the registration date was not updated by the transaction) is after the date the voter signed the petition, the elections official shall include the signature in the raw count, but the signature shall not be subject signature verification.
(B) The voter's address on the petition is the different from the address provided via an address update label affixed by the USPS, and the registration effective date (or the transaction date if the registration date was not updated by the transaction) is after the date the voter signed the petition. However, if the voter's address on the petition is different from the address provided via an address update label affixed by the USPS and the registration effective date (or the transaction date if the registration date was not updated by the transaction) is on or before the date the voter signed the petition, the elections official shall include the signature in the raw count, but the signature shall not be subject to signature verification.
(C) If the effective registration date change in (A) or (B) occurred during the dates between which all the signatures to the petition or paper were obtained as reported in the declaration signed by the circulator of the petition, it shall be presumed that the voter signed the petition with their previous address prior to the effective date of the address change or signed with their new address after the effective date of the address change.
(b) A petition signature shall be included in a raw count, but the signature shall not be subject to signature verification if:
(1) The signer provides a house number that is different from their registered address. However, if the voter reregistered with the new address by the day the petition is signed, then the signature shall be subject to signature verification.
(2) The signer transposes the house number of the residence address. However, if the signer signed the same petition twice, but transposed the house number on one of the two signatures, the signature with the correct information will be subject to signature verification, while the other will be invalidated as unregistered (if the house number exists) or as a duplicate (if the house number does not exist).
(3) The signer does not use their own handwriting to write their name, residence address or signature, or that information is preprinted prior to circulation. However, if the signer is disabled and cannot print or sign their name or write their residence address, or if the voter has a signature stamp that is the same as on the voter's registration record, the signature is subject to signature verification. In either case, a witness must also sign for the signature to be valid.
(4) The signer provides a P.O. Box only or provides no address whatsoever. However, if the signer has no residence address (for example, a homeless voter) and the signer provides the original identifying information that placed them in a precinct, the signature shall be subject to signature verification.
(5) The signer fails to provide the name of the city and the zip code.
(6) The signer has no residence address and provides cross streets on the petition that do not match the cross streets on the voter's registration record.
(7) The signer is a pre-registered voter and is not yet 18 years of age at the time of signing.
(A) If the pre-registered voter turned 18 during the dates between which all the signatures to the petition or paper were obtained as reported in the declaration signed by the circulator of the petition, it shall be presumed that the voter was 18 at the time of signing.

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 2, § 20931

1. New section filed 3-15-2022; operative 3-15-2022 (Register 2022, No. 11).

Note: Authority cited: Section 12172.5, Government Code. Reference: Sections 100, 100.5, 105, 354.5, 2102, 2150 and 9020, Elections Code; and Section 12172.5, Government Code.

1. New section filed 3-15-2022; operative 3/15/2022 (Register 2022, No. 11).