Elections: duties of election officials: voter information guides.

Assembly Member Pellerin's elections reform package clarifies the role of California election officials while expanding voter information access in county jails. The legislation designates key election duties - including vote counting, results certification, and winner declarations - as ministerial and nondiscretionary functions that officials must perform without discretion. When officials fail to certify results within mandated timeframes, the Secretary of State must notify law enforcement and may assist in completing these duties.

The bill establishes new requirements for voter education in county detention facilities. The Secretary of State and county election officials must prepare voter information guides in jail-approved formats, providing copies for at least 30% of registered voters in common areas or delivering guides to each eligible voter individually. County jail administrators must coordinate with election officials to ensure guide distribution before primary and general elections.

Additional provisions address election security by expanding criminal penalties related to unofficial ballot collection. The law now prohibits displaying envelopes, not just containers, to deceive voters into submitting ballots through unofficial channels. Violations remain punishable by fines up to $1,000 and imprisonment terms of 16 months to three years. While certain new requirements create state-mandated local programs, the bill specifies that reimbursement applies only to costs beyond criminal justice changes, as determined by the Commission on State Mandates.