2220-2226

ELECTIONS CODE
SECTION 2220-2226




2220.  (a) The county elections official shall conduct a preelection
residency confirmation procedure as provided in this article. This
procedure shall be completed by the 90th day immediately prior to the
primary election. The procedure shall be initiated by mailing a
nonforwardable postcard to each registered voter of the county
preceding the direct primary election. Postcards mailed pursuant to
this article shall be sent "Address Correction Requested, Return
Postage Guaranteed," and shall be in substantially the following
form:

   "We are requesting your assistance in correcting the addresses of
voters who have moved and have not reregistered.
   "1. If you still live at the address noted on this postcard, your
voter registration will remain in effect and you may disregard this
notice.
   "2. If the person named on this postcard is not at this address,
please return this postcard to your mail carrier."

   (b) The county elections official, at his or her discretion, shall
not be required to mail a residency confirmation postcard pursuant
to subdivision (a), to any voter who has voted at an election held
within the last six months preceding the start of the confirmation
procedure.



2221.  (a) Based on the postal notices on the returned residency
confirmation postcards received pursuant to Section 2220, the county
elections official shall take the following actions:
   (1) The affidavits of registration of persons whose residency
confirmation postcards are returned by the post office as
undeliverable and who have no forwarding address shall be placed in
the inactive file pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of
Section 2226. These persons shall be mailed the confirmation notices
described in subdivision (d) of Section 2225.
   (2) The affidavits of registration of persons for whom forwarding
addresses within the county are received shall be corrected to
reflect the new address provided by the post office.
   (3) The affidavits of registration of persons for whom forwarding
addresses outside of the county are received shall be placed in the
inactive file pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section
2226. These persons shall be mailed the confirmation notices
described in subdivision (c) of Section 2225.
   (b) Blank affidavits of registration shall immediately be mailed
to the addresses from which voter registrations were canceled or
changed pursuant to this section.
   (c) All address corrections and cancellations of affidavits of
registration made pursuant to this section shall be reflected on the
voter index as required by Section 2191.



2222.  In lieu of mailing a residency confirmation postcard, as
prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 2220, the county elections
official may contract with the United States Postal Service or its
licensees to obtain use of postal service change-of-address data,
such as the National Change of Address System (NCOA) and Operation
Mail.



2223.  (a) In lieu of mailing a residency confirmation postcard to
each registered voter in the county, the county elections official
may include the return address of the county elections official's
office on the outside portion of the sample ballot or sample ballot
envelope mailed to the voter at any election conducted within the
last six months preceding the start of the confirmation process,
along with the statements "Address Correction Requested" and "Notice:
If the person named on the sample ballot is not at the address,
please help keep the voter rolls current and save taxpayer dollars by
returning this sample ballot to your mail carrier."
   (b) Any voter not eligible for an election during the last six
months preceding the start of the confirmation process, or any voter
not mailed a sample ballot with an address correction requested,
shall have his or her address confirmed by either a residency
confirmation postcard or NCOA/Operation Mail process.




2224.  (a) If a voter has not voted in any election within the
preceding four years, and his or her residence address, name, or
party affiliation had not been updated during that time, the county
elections official may send an alternate residency confirmation
postcard. The use of this postcard may be sent subsequent to NCOA or
sample ballot returns, but shall not be used in the residency
confirmation process conducted under Section 2220. The postcard shall
be forwardable, including a postage-paid and preaddressed return
form to enable the voter to verify or correct the address
information, and shall be in substantially the following form:
   "If the person named on the postcard is not at this address,
PLEASE help keep the voter rolls current and save taxpayer dollars by
returning this postcard to your mail carrier."
   "IMPORTANT NOTICE"
   "According to our records you have not voted in any election
during the past four years, which may indicate that you no longer
reside in ____ County. If you continue to reside in this county you
must confirm your residency address in order to remain on the active
voter list and receive election materials in the mail."
   "If confirmation has not been received within 15 days, you may be
required to provide proof of your residence address in order to vote
at future elections and, if you do not appear or offer to vote at any
election in the period between the date of this notice and the
second federal general election after the date of this notice, your
voter registration will be cancelled and you will have to reregister
in order to vote. If you no longer live in ____ County, you must
reregister at your new residence address in order to vote in the next
election. California residents may obtain a mail registration form
by calling the county elections office of the Secretary of State's
Office."
   (b) The use of a toll-free number to confirm the old residence
address is optional. Any change to a voter's address shall be
received in writing.
   (c) Any county using the alternate residency confirmation
procedure shall notify all voters of the procedure in the sample
ballot pamphlet or in a separate mailing. The voter shall be given an
opportunity to vote at a statewide primary or general election
between the date of notice and the beginning of the alternate
residency procedure.



2225.  (a) Based on change-of-address data received from the United
States Postal Service or its licensees, the county elections official
shall send a forwardable notice, including a postage-paid and
preaddressed return form, to enable the voter to verify or correct
address information.
   Notification received through NCOA or Operation Mail that a voter
has moved and has given no forwarding address shall not require the
mailing of a forwardable notice to that voter.
   (b) If change-of-address data indicates that the voter has moved
to a new residence address in the same county, the forwardable notice
shall be in substantially the following form:

   "We have received notification that the voter has moved to a new
residence address in ____ County. You will be registered to vote at
your new address unless you notify our office within 15 days that the
address to which this card was mailed is not a change of your
permanent residence. You must notify our office by either returning
the attached postage-paid postcard, or by calling toll free. If this
is not a permanent residence, and if you do not notify us within 15
days, you may be required to provide proof of your residence address
in order to vote at future elections."

   (c) If change-of-address data indicates that the voter has moved
to a new address in another county, the forwardable notice shall be
in substantially the following form:

   "We have received notification that you have moved to a new
address not in ____ County. Please use the attached postage-paid
postcard to: (1) advise us if this is or is not a permanent change of
residence address, or (2) to advise us if our information is
incorrect. If you do not return this card within 15 days and continue
to reside in ____ County, you may be required to provide proof of
your residence address in order to vote at future elections and, if
you do not offer to vote at any election in the period between the
date of this notice and the second federal general election following
this notice, your voter registration will be cancelled and you will
have to reregister in order to vote. If you no longer live in ____
County, you must reregister at your new residence address in order to
vote in the next election. California residents may obtain a mail
registration form by calling the county elections officer or
1-800-345-VOTE."

   (d) If postal service change-of-address data received from a
nonforwardable mailing indicates that a voter has moved and left no
forwarding address, a forwardable notice shall be sent in
substantially the following form:

   "We are attempting to verify postal notification that the voter to
whom this card is addressed has moved and left no forwarding
address. If the person receiving this card is the addressed voter,
please confirm your continued residence or provide current residence
information on the attached postage-paid postcard within 15 days. If
you do not return this card and continue to reside in ____ County,
you may be required to provide proof of your residence address in
order to vote at future elections and, if you do not offer to vote at
any election in the period between the date of this notice and the
second federal general election following this notice, your voter
registration will be cancelled and you will have to reregister in
order to vote. If you no longer live in ____ County, you must
reregister at your new residence address in order to vote in the next
election. California residents may obtain a mail registration form
by calling the county elections office or the Secretary of State's
Office."

   (e) The use of a toll-free number to confirm the old residence
address is optional. Any change to the voter address must be received
in writing.


2226.  (a) Based on change-of-address information received pursuant
to Sections 2220 to 2225, inclusive, or change-of-address information
provided directly by the voter, the county elections official shall
take the following actions as appropriate:
   (1) If the information indicates the voter has moved to a new
address within the same county, the county elections official shall
update and correct the voter's registration.
   (2) If the information indicates the voter has moved to a new
address in another county, if the mailings have been returned as
undeliverable, or if the voter fails to confirm his or her address as
required by Section 2224, the county elections official may place
the voter's name on the inactive file of registered voters who do not
receive election materials and are not included in calculations to
determine the number of signatures required for qualification of
candidates and measures, precinct size, or other election
administration related processes.
   (3) If the voter verifies in writing that he or she has moved to a
residence address in another county, the county elections official
shall cancel the voter registration in the county from which the
voter has moved.
   (b) The voter registration of any voter whose name has been placed
on the inactive file of registered voters for failure to respond to
a confirmation mailing as required by Section 2224 or an address
verification mailing required by Section 2225, and who does not offer
to vote or vote at any election between the date of the mailing and
two federal general elections after the date of that mailing, may be
cancelled.
   (c) Any voter whose name has been placed on the inactive file of
registered voters and offers to vote at any election between the date
of the verification notice, and two federal general elections after
the date of notice, or who notifies the elections official of a
continued residency, shall be removed from the inactive file and
placed on the active voter file.
   (d) All address corrections, cancellations, and inactive
transactions made to the voter registration file pursuant to this
section shall be reflected on the voter index as required by Section
2191.