January 24, 2021 - Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) reports it has expressed support for Senate Bill 29, authored by Senator Tom Umberg (D–Santa Ana).  Last year, in response to the health and safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State enacted Assembly Bill 860 (Berman) which required county election officials to mail a ballot to every registered voter and to operate an acceptable vote-by-mail tracking system for the November 2020 General Election.  

SB 29 would simply extend these requirements to all elections proclaimed or conducted prior to January 1, 2022. 

For many rural areas, voting by mail has been the predominant method of voting for several years and RCRC has long supported expanding the ability of counties to conduct all of their elections via vote-by-mail balloting.  The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present significant health and safety risks to voters and to those tasked with conducting the election.  SB 29 would ensure that every Californian has the option to vote from the safety of their home.

RCRC’s letter of support is available here. 
Source: Rural County Representatives of California