Universities Will Get Polling Place if Pavley Bill Passes

Senator Fran Pavley, who represesnts Woodland Hills as part of California's Senate District 27, has introduced legislation that would require counties to designate certain state higher education campuses as their own elections precints.

While current law gives local elections officials discretion in establishing voting precincts and locating polling places, Senate Bill 267 would require counties to designate Univeristy of California, California State University and state junior college campuses that have more than 1,000 students or more living on campus and meet certain accessibility guidelines as their own precincts. As well, the bill would allow students who vote by mail and live in the same county as the campus to drop off their ballots at the campus polling place.

Because Woodland Hills' Pierce College, a state community college, does not have dormitories or other on-campus housing, the proposed bill would not apply to it.

Some campuses have already been successful in getting their own polling places while others have not.

Currently, students are able to vote via absentee ballot at their non-school residence if that's where they are registered. As well, they can change their official residence to their school residence and vote in local elections at their local precinct.