10 October 2020 - 17 October 2020

Long overdue DNS update to avoid my outgoing email from being marked as "spam" by Google Gmail. Thanks to Elena for bringing this to my attention.

Initial Framework released https://github.com/efabless/caravel

Looks like it has a SPI block I can use as a reference.

I'm not sure I have enough time to put something together for the Nov. shuttle - not that I expect it would be accepted, but I think it's worth it to at least give it a whirl.

https://www.mattblaze.org/blog/neinnines/

See generally

https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-and-secretary-state-padilla-send-cease-and-desist

about "unofficial ballot drop off boxes".

Seems to me that "Secure Ballot Drop Off Location" (attachment 1A) is OK but not "Official Ballot Drop Off Box" (attachment 3 and 4A) if in fact it is not "Official".

Interesting factoid: There is apparently a difference between the Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County mail-in ballot design where (according to Trish's memory - she sent her ballot in already) on the Santa Cruz ballot, the "Ballot Signature" section and the "Voter Authorization" section (for designating a third party to return the ballot) are under a sealable flap. Santa Clara County has it outside the sealable flap.

Section 3011 says what's on the ballot envelope, not the construction

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=3011&lawCode=ELEC

Interestingly, 3011.11(c) says

"Notwithstanding paragraphs (9) to (11), inclusive, of subdivision (a), a ballot shall not be disqualified solely because the person authorized to return it did not provide on the identification envelope his or her name, relationship to the voter, or signature."

Section 3017 says how to deliver the ballot

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=3017&lawCode=ELEC

and one of the ways is

"Designate a person to return the ballot to the elections official who issued the ballot…"

Nothing is said about whether the "Voter Authorization" for such designation is witnessed by the voter or not. Seems that the Santa Cruz County ballot envelope construction facilitates such witnessing; Santa Clara County ballot envelope construction does not.

Not sure what the point of "Voter Authorization" is now, given 3011.11(c).

See history of AB 306 which caused 3011.11(c).

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB306

Clearly, the requirements of "Voter Authorization" have been diluted over time, from "member of household" to apparently "anybody".

As long as the drop off box doesn't claim to be an official county election drop off box, I can't see how an unofficial drop off box would be illegal, as long as the ballots are delivered to election officials before the close of polls in accordance applicable CA election law, as there is no longer any penalty for delivering such ballots three days after they were dropped off or without a "Voter Authorization" signature.

It would be amusing if the political party that voted against AB 306 is able to use 3011.11(c) in their favor.

It would also be amusing if the ballots from the unofficial ballot drop off boxes were mailed in to avoid a potentially unpleasant conversation with an election official.

I look forward to any lawsuits that would answer this question.

Update:

https://www.sos.ca.gov/administration/news-releases-and-advisories/2020-news-releases-and-advisories/ap20099-title

According to the press release, the issue is "chain of custody", but what I don't see is what specific law is being broken.

Also

https://calvoter.org/content/cvf-resources-voters-and-upcoming-events

and

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/politics/elections/yes-ballot-harvesting-is-legal-in-california/103-067a65c5-9bde-4ff4-a815-97dee5597597

referenced therein.

Kim Alexander's point that there's a "grey area" in California Election law with respect to chain of custody requirements is well taken.