California bill would give free postage for mail ballots

california
"I Voted" stickers were given to voters who showed up at polling places Tuesday in Los Angeles County. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“I Voted” stickers were given to voters who showed up at polling places Tuesday in Los Angeles County. A bill that cleared the state Senate on Thursday, June 21, 2018, would require return ballot envelopes for voting by mail to have prepaid postage. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers are considering providing free postage for vote-by-mail ballots statewide.

A measure that cleared the Senate Thursday would require return ballot envelopes to have prepaid postage. Currently, some counties pay for return postage while others dont.

Democratic Sen. Ricardo Lara says voting should be free for every person in California. Had the measure — AB216 — been in place for the 2016 general election it would have cost $5.5 million. The cost would be borne by counties, but they may be able to claim reimbursement from the state.

The Assembly has already approved the plan but must sign off on changes made in the Senate before the bill goes to Gov. Jerry Brown.

The bill was written by Democratic Assembly members Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher and Evan Low.

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