SB 884: Elections in 2026 through 2029.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law generally requires county elections officials to divide the county into precincts and designate a polling place for each precinct. As an alternative, a county elections official may conduct any election using vote centers instead of polling places. Existing law requires counties to provide ballot dropoff locations that are open beginning at least 28 days before the election. Under existing law, a vote by mail ballot is timely cast if it is postmarked on or before election day and received in the mail by the voter’s elections official no later than 7 days after election day. Existing law prohibits and makes it a misdemeanor to engage in specified electioneering activities within 100 feet of a polling place, elections official’s office, satellite location, or an outdoor site at which a voter may cast or drop off a ballot.

This bill, for any regular or special election, beginning with the November 3, 2026, statewide general election, held in 2026 through 2029, inclusive, or proclaimed in 2029, would do the following: (1) require all ballot dropoff locations to be open beginning at least 30 days before the election; (2) prohibit law enforcement officers from making arrests within 200 feet of a polling place on election day, except for a crime related to disrupting the operation of the polling place or a crime against a person or property; (3) authorize a county board of supervisors to extend the prohibition on electioneering activities to up to 200 feet of the specified voting locations; (4) require law enforcement officers to notify the Secretary of State and Attorney General of a suspected, planned, or actual violation of the prohibitions on arrests or electioneering activities near polling places; (5) authorize the state and local governments to place reasonable restrictions on polling places located on their property; and (6) authorize a county elections official to extend the time for closing the polls at any polling place if the county elections official determines that voting at the polling place was disrupted as a result of a violation of the prohibitions on arrests or electioneering activities near polling places.

By increasing the duties of county elections officials, and by expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 19, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 340, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 19, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 9, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. August 31, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 31, 2026Unanimous consent granted to take up without reference to file.
6. August 31, 2026In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. August 31, 2026Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 57. Noes 18. Page 7031.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. August 21, 2026Ordered to third reading.
9. August 21, 2026Read third time and amended.
10. August 21, 2026Assembly Rule 69(b)(1) suspended. (Ayes 55. Noes 17. Page 6296.)
11. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
12. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.