3019.5. (a) A county elections official shall establish a free access system that allows a vote by mail voter to learn if the voter’s vote by mail ballot was counted and, if not, the reason why the ballot was not counted. For each election, the elections official shall make the free access system available to a vote by mail voter upon completion of the official canvass and for 30 days after completion of the official canvass.
(b) For purposes of establishing the free access system for vote by mail ballots required by subdivision (a), a county elections official may use the free access system for provisional ballots established by the county pursuant to Section 302 of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 21082).
(c) If a county elections official elects not to mail a county voter information guide to a voter pursuant to Section 13305, the elections official shall use any savings achieved to offset the costs associated with establishing the free access system for vote by mail ballots required by subdivision (a).
(d) When a county elections official updates the county’s election management system or voter look-up tool on the county’s internet website with new voter information, the elections official shall provide the updated information to the Secretary of State to update the information that the Secretary of State provides to the public.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 370, Sec. 107. (SB 1371) Effective January 1, 2021.)