All Roll Calls
Yes: 184 • No: 13
CaliforniaAB 8272025-2026 Regular SessionHouse
Voting: signature verification.
Sponsored By: Marc Berman (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Faster notices and easier signature fixes
If your signature is missing or does not compare, officials must mail you a notice by the next business day when practicable, with a prepaid return envelope, and also try to call, text, or email you. They may use your voter registration contact info to reach you. You can fix issues by signing at the elections office by the deadline or by sending the unsigned envelope statement or combined verification form by mail, email, fax, online, to a polling place, or to a labeled drop box at the elections office before polls close. A single state form is posted online; counties must post and accept it, and instructions are translated as required. If your signature compares, officials update your voter record for future elections even if your form arrived late. Deadlines: for statewide elections, officials notify by 14 days after Election Day and must receive your materials by 5 p.m. on day 22; for other elections, officials notify 8 days before certification and must receive your materials by 5 p.m. 2 days before certification. If a deadline falls on a holiday, it does not move. Electronic submissions must be kept private and secure.
Stronger, fairer mail-ballot signature checks
The law sets fair rules for checking mail-ballot signatures. Officials presume the signature is yours, and an exact match is not required. They cannot consider your party, race, ethnicity, gender, name, or address (except to confirm identity). If software flags a problem, extra human review is required. A ballot is rejected only if two other officials each find beyond a reasonable doubt that the signature clearly differs from all on file. Officials must follow state rules and post their comparison procedures online or provide them on request.
Track your mail ballot step-by-step
The Secretary of State runs a ballot-tracking system. You can sign up for email or text updates. It shows when USPS gets your ballot, the expected delivery, if it comes back undeliverable, when the county receives it, and whether it is counted. If not counted, it tells you why and links to the fix form. The system is accessible to voters with disabilities and may send return reminders. Counties must use this system unless they offer equal or better service.
Stronger privacy and mismatch transparency
Your driver’s license number, state ID, Social Security number, and signature image in voter records are confidential. In a formal ballot challenge, your home address and signature can be shared only with the challenger, election officials, and others needed to handle the case; officials may allow viewing but limit copying. Information on voters with unsigned envelopes or nonmatching signatures is still treated as confidential registration data, but it can be shared with candidates, committees, researchers, journalists, or government for permitted purposes with a legal notice. Counties must provide daily, searchable electronic updates with voter names showing whether cure forms were received and whether signatures compared.
Only official signature verification forms
Elections offices may accept only signature-verification forms made by the Secretary of State or by elections officials. Forms from private groups or individuals are not allowed.
State reimbursement for new election costs
If the Commission on State Mandates finds this law creates state-mandated costs for local agencies or school districts, the state reimburses them under existing rules. This protects local budgets when the Commission makes that finding.
Daily canvass rules with small exception
The official canvass starts no later than the Thursday after the election. It continues each weekday for at least six hours until finished. If only vote-by-mail ballots needing signature cure remain and six hours are not needed to meet certification, the canvass may run fewer than six hours per day.
Ties to other 2026 election laws
Some parts of this law take effect only if other election bills also become law by January 1, 2026. If both this law and AB 1392 change Section 2194 and this law is enacted after AB 1392, the alternate amendment applies. If both this law and SB 3 change Section 3019 and this law is enacted after SB 3, the alternate amendment applies. In those cases, the earlier amendments in this act do not operate.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Marc Berman
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
Sabrina Cervantes
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 9/10/2025
Item 256 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 60 • No: 5
Senate vote • 9/9/2025
Item 273 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 30 • No: 5
legislature vote • 8/29/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 5 • No: 0
legislature vote • 7/14/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 7 • No: 0
legislature vote • 7/1/2025
Vote in CS45
Yes: 5 • No: 0
House vote • 6/2/2025
Item 172 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 62 • No: 3
legislature vote • 5/23/2025
Vote in CX25
Yes: 11 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/30/2025
Vote in CX04
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 279, Statutes of 2025.
10/3/2025SenateApproved by the Governor.
10/3/2025legislatureEnrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
9/22/2025legislatureSenate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 5. Page 3246.).
9/10/2025HouseIn Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
9/9/2025HouseRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 5. Page 2673.).
9/9/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
9/8/2025SenateRead third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9/5/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
8/29/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (August 29).
8/29/2025SenateIn committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
7/14/2025SenateRead second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7/2/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 1).
7/1/2025SenateFrom committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
6/23/2025SenateReferred to Com. on E. & C.A.
6/11/2025SenateIn Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
6/3/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 62. Noes 3. Page 1855.)
6/2/2025HouseRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
5/27/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).
5/23/2025HouseIn committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
5/14/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4/30/2025HouseRe-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
4/22/2025HouseFrom committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.
4/21/2025HouseReferred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
3/3/2025HouseFrom printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2/20/2025House
Bill Text
Chaptered
10/3/2025
Enrolled
9/12/2025
Amended Senate
9/5/2025
Amended Senate
7/2/2025
Amended Senate
6/23/2025
Amended Assembly
4/21/2025
Introduced
2/19/2025