California Democrats aim to boost March primary turnout with bills sent to Gavin Newsom

California voters could soon see more notifications reminding them to vote in the primary and more options to register the day of the election under bills awaiting action by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

They’re part of a push by California Democrats to make it easier to vote in the state’s new early primary to decide who challenges President Donald Trump in 2020.

In 2017, California lawmakers and then-Gov. Jerry Brown moved the primary up to March in an effort to give California more of a voice in the selection.

But California has a growing percentage of “no party preference” voters who aren’t registered with a political party. About 28% of California voters are registered without party preference, and about two-thirds vote by mail.

Under the state’s rules, no-party-preference voters must either register with a presidential party or request a party ballot to vote in a presidential primary. If they’re a vote-by-mail voter, they must make the request by mail a week in advance.

In 2016, the process confused many voters, said Mindy Romero, director of the California Civic Engagement Project at the University of Southern California. Those voters turn out to vote in smaller number than Democrats and Republicans, partly because they don’t receive many of the reminders to vote that parties typically send to their members, she said.

“You aren’t getting reached by parties and candidates usually because you’re not part of the party rolls,” she said. “That lack of outreach can make a difference.”

In anticipation of the primary, the California Democratic Party is stepping up its efforts to encourage independent voters to register as Democrats, then-interim party chair Alex Gallardo-Rooker said during the party’s June convention.

Meanwhile, lawmakers sent Newsom a bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, to require county elections officials to notify voters of the political party they’re registered with several months ahead of the election. Assembly Bill 681 also requires officials to send a second notice to those not registered with a party that includes instructions to request a presidential primary ballot.

Under the bill, the notices can be sent by mail, email or text message if a voter has given prior permission.

“In the last election, we saw a lot of confusion when people didn’t understand why there were no presidential candidates on their ballot, which led to people thinking there was some sort of conspiracy,” Gonzalez said when the Assembly passed the bill in May. She says her bill would reduce that confusion.

Newsom now has until Oct. 13 to sign or veto the bill.

He’ll also have to decide on Senate Bill 72, which would require all California voting locations to allow same-day voter registration. Right now, only some voting locations are required to provide that option.

Paul Mitchell of Political Data Inc. said if Newsom signs that measure, it could significantly boost turnout. The policy would mostly benefit young voters, because they move frequently and are most likely to need to register to vote. Those voters tend to cast ballots for Democrats, so it could result in a boost for that party, Mitchell said.

Sen. Jim Nielsen, R-Tehama, spoke against the bill during a Senate debate, saying it would lead to voter fraud because California doesn’t require proof of identification at polling places.

“I am certain that we will have problems,” he said. “California does not require proof of identity or residency… I think that this is still fraught with fraud.”

But the bill’s author, Democratic Sen. Tom Umberg of Santa Ana, said the bill would expand voting access, especially for voters who live far from a county registrar’s office or satellite location.

The bill won’t affect voters in counties like Sacramento who can already register to vote at all polling locations under the “Voters Choice Act.” About half the state’s population lives in a county that isn’t using the ‘Voters Choice Act” model and would be affected by the bill.

California will hold its primary March 3.

This story was originally published September 24, 2019 at 5:00 AM with the headline "California Democrats aim to boost March primary turnout with bills sent to Gavin Newsom."