AB 1392: Elections: voter registration information: elected officials and candidates.
The bill aims to amend the Elections Code to protect the confidential information of elected officials and candidates. The residence address, telephone number, and email address of a registered voter is confidential, except under certain circumstances. This bill would exempt the residence address, telephone number, and email address of a federal, state, or local elected official or candidate from disclosure, except for journalistic or governmental purposes. County elections officials would be required to create a list of elected officials and candidates and make their information confidential within 5 business days. The bill also allows elected officials or candidates to opt out of making their information confidential and requires them to notify the county elections official. The bill is intended to create a state-mandated local program and would require reimbursement from the state if…
| Oct. 03, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 300, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 03, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 24, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Sep. 13, 2025 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 3461.). |
| Sep. 13, 2025 | Joint Rules 61(a)(14) and 51(a)(4) suspended. (Ayes 59. Noes 20. Page 3413.) |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 2166.9 is added to the Elections Code, to read:2166.9.
(a) For purposes of this section, “elected official or candidate” means a federal, state, or local elected official or a candidate for an elected federal, state, or local office.SEC. 2.
Section 2194 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2194.
(a) Except as provided in Section 2194.1, the affidavit of voter registration information identified in Section 7924.000 of the Government Code:SEC. 2.5.
Section 2194 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2194.
(a) Except as provided in Section 2194.1, the affidavit of voter registration information identified in Section 7924.000 of the Government Code:SEC. 3.
Section 2227 of the Elections Code is amended to read:2227.
(a) In lieu of mailing a residency confirmation postcard, as prescribed in subdivision (a) of Section 2220, the county elections official may contract with a consumer credit reporting agency or its licensees to obtain use of change-of-address data in accordance with this section.SEC. 4.
Section 8040 of the Elections Code is amended to read:8040.
(a) The declaration of candidacy by a candidate shall be substantially as follows:DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY |
I hereby declare myself a candidate for nomination to the office of ________ District Number ________ to be voted for at the primary election to be held ________, 20__, and declare the following to be true: My name is . I want my name and occupational designation to appear on the ballot as follows: ______________________________________. |
Addresses: Residence Business Mailing |
Telephone numbers: Day _________ Evening _________ |
Internet website:_______________________________________ |
I meet the statutory and constitutional qualifications for this office (including, but not limited to, citizenship, residency, and party preference, if required). |
I am at present an incumbent of the following public office |
(if any) __________. |
If nominated, I will accept the nomination and not withdraw, except as permitted by state law. |
Signature of candidate |
A candidate for voter-nominated office shall also complete all of the following: | ||
(1) I hereby certify that: | ||
(a) At the time of presentation of this declaration, as shown by my current affidavit of registration, I have disclosed the following political party preference, if any: . | ||
(b) My complete voter registration and party affiliation/preference history, from [10 years prior to current year] through the date of signing this document, is as follows: | ||
Party Registration | County | Timeframe (by year) |
(2) Pursuant to Section 8002.5 of the Elections Code, select one of the following: | ||
______ Party Preference: _____________________ (insert the name of the qualified political party as disclosed upon your affidavit of registration). | ||
______ Party Preference: None (if you have declined to disclose a preference for a qualified political party upon your affidavit of registration). | ||
Dated this ___ day of _____, 20___. | ||
Signature of candidate | ||
| A Notary Public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document. |
State of California | ) | |
County of | ) ss. | |
) |
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ___ day of ________, 20____. |
Signature of Notary Public (or other official) Notary Public Seal |
Examined and certified by me this ________ day of ________, 20____. |
County Elections Official |
WARNING: Every person acting on behalf of a candidate is guilty of a misdemeanor who deliberately fails to file at the proper time and in the proper place any declaration of candidacy in the person’s possession which is entitled to be filed under the provisions of the Elections Code Section 18202. |
SEC. 5.
Section 8600 of the Elections Code is amended to read:8600.
(a) Every person who desires to be a write-in candidate and have their name as written on the ballot of an election counted for a particular office shall file both of the following:SEC. 6.
Section 10226.3 of the Elections Code is amended to read:10226.3.
(a) The declaration of candidacy by a candidate shall be substantially as follows:DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY |
I hereby declare myself a candidate for nomination to the office of ________ District Number ________ to be voted for at the municipal election to be held ________, 20__, and declare the following to be true: My name is . I want my name and occupational designation to appear on the ballot as follows: ______________________________________. |
Addresses: Residence Business Mailing |
Telephone numbers: Day _________ Evening _________ |
Internet website:_______________________________________ |
I meet the statutory and constitutional qualifications for this office (including, but not limited to, citizenship, and residency). |
I am at present an incumbent of the following public office |
(if any) __________. |
If nominated, I will accept the nomination, and if elected, I will accept the office. |
Signature of candidate |
| A Notary Public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or validity of that document. |
State of California | ) | |
County of | ) ss. | |
) |
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ___ day of ________, 20____. |
Signature of Notary Public (or other official) Notary Public Seal |
Examined and certified by me this ________ day of ________, 20____. |
County Elections Official |
WARNING: Every person acting on behalf of a candidate is guilty of a misdemeanor who deliberately fails to file at the proper time and in the proper place any declaration of candidacy in the person’s possession which is entitled to be filed under the provisions of the Elections Code Section 18202. |
SEC. 7.
Section 2.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 2194 of the Elections Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 827. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2026, (2) each bill amends Section 2194 of the Elections Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 827, in which case Section 2 of this bill shall not become operative.SEC. 8.
The Legislature finds and declares that Section 1 of this act, which adds Section 2166.9 to the Elections Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest:SEC. 9.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.