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California Statutes § 2194 Confidentiality of affidavit of voter registration information

⤴ Up to Article 5: Roster

Statute Text

(a) Except as provided in Section 2194.1, the affidavit of voter registration information identified in Section 7924.000 of the Government Code:
(1) Shall be confidential and shall not appear on any computer terminal, list, affidavit, duplicate affidavit, or other medium routinely available to the public at the county elections official's office.
(2) Shall not be used for any personal, private, or commercial purpose, including, but not limited to:
(A) The harassment of any voter or voter's household.
(B) The advertising, solicitation, sale, or marketing of products or services to any voter or voter's household.
(C) Reproduction in print, broadcast visual or audio, or display on the internet or any computer terminal unless pursuant to paragraph (3).
(3) Shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State.
(4) May be used by the Secretary of State for the purpose of educating voters pursuant to Section 12173 of the Government Code.
(b)
(1) Notwithstanding any other law, the California driver's license number, the California identification card number, the social security number, and any other unique identifier used by the State of California for purposes of voter identification shown on the affidavit of voter registration of a registered voter, or added to voter registration records to comply with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 ( 52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.), are confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person.
(2) Notwithstanding any other law, the signature of the voter shown on the affidavit of voter registration or an image thereof is confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person, except as provided in subdivision (c).
(c)
(1) The home address or signature of any voter shall be released whenever the person's vote is challenged pursuant to Sections 15105 to 15108, inclusive, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 14240) of Chapter 3 of Division 14. The address or signature shall be released only to the challenger, to elections officials, and to other persons as necessary to make, defend against, or adjudicate the challenge.
(2) An elections official shall permit a person to view the signature of a voter for the purpose of determining whether the signature compares with a signature on an affidavit of registration or an image thereof or a petition, but shall not permit a signature to be copied.
(d) A governmental entity, or officer or employee thereof, shall not be held civilly liable as a result of disclosure of the information referred to in this section, unless by a showing of gross negligence or willfulness.
(e) For the purposes of this section, "voter's household" is defined as the voter's place of residence or mailing address or any persons who reside at the place of residence or use the mailing address as supplied on the affidavit of registration pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 2150.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, information regarding voters who did not sign a vote by mail ballot identification envelope or whose signature on the vote by mail ballot identification envelope did not compare with the voter's signature on file shall be treated as confidential voter registration information pursuant to this section and Section 7924.000 of the Government Code. This information shall be provided with respect to any voter, subject to the provisions of Sections 2166, 2166.5, 2166.7, 2166.8, and 2188, to any candidate for federal, state, or local office, to any committee for or against any initiative or referendum measure for which legal publication is made, and to any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State, but otherwise shall not be disclosed to any person. Any disclosure of this information shall be accompanied by a notice to the recipient regarding Sections 18109 and 18540. Voter information provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be updated daily, include the name of the voter, and be provided in a searchable electronic format.

History

Amended by Stats 2024 ch 437 ( AB 3184 ) , s 1 , eff. 9/22/2024 .

Amended by Stats 2023 ch 131 ( AB 1754 ) , s 52 , eff. 1/1/2024 .

Amended by Stats 2022 ch 28 ( SB 1380 ) , s 38 , eff. 1/1/2023 .

Amended by Stats 2021 ch 319 ( SB 503 ) , s 1 , eff. 1/1/2022 .

Amended by Stats 2019 ch 568 ( SB 523 ) , s 1 , eff. 1/1/2020 .

Amended by Stats 2017 ch 656 ( AB 606 ) , s 1 , eff. 1/1/2018 .

Amended by Stats 2015 ch 728 ( AB 1020 ) , s 53 , eff. 1/1/2016 if the Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 ( 52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.) . Certification issued 9/26/2016.

Amended by Stats 2015 ch 732 ( AB 1536 ) , s 12 , eff. 1/1/2016 .

Amended by Stats 2021 ch 615 ( AB 474 ) , s 92 , eff. 1/1/2022 , op. 1/1/2023 .

Amended by Stats 2014 ch 593 ( AB 1446 ) , s 6 , eff. 1/1/2015 .

Amended by Stats 2013 ch 118 ( SB 112 ) , s 1 , eff. 1/1/2014 .

Amended by Stats 2006 ch 466 ( SB 506 ) , s 2 , eff. 1/1/2007 .

Amended by Stats 2005 ch 726 ( SB 1016 ) , s 7 , eff. 1/1/2006

Amended by Stats 2003 ch 809 ( SB 613 ) , s 4 , eff. 1/1/2004 .

Amended by Stats 2003 ch 810 ( AB 1679 ) , s 7 , eff. 1/1/2004 .

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Prior Versions of This Statute