(a) (1) Based on change-of-address data received from the United States Postal Service or its licensees, the county elections official shall send a forwardable notice, including a postage-paid and preaddressed return form, to enable the voter to verify or correct address information.

(2) If notification received through NCOA or Operation Mail or a returned mailing indicates that a voter has moved and has given no forwarding address or indicates that a voter has moved out of the state, the county elections official shall send a forwardable notice in substantially the same format as the notice set forth in paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Section 20507 of Title 52 of the United States Code.

(b) If postal service change-of-address data indicates that the voter has moved to a new residence address in California, the forwardable notice shall be in substantially the following form:

“We have received notification that you have moved to a new residence address in California. Your voter registration record has been updated to this new address. If this is correct, you do not have to take any action. If this is incorrect, you can notify our office by either returning the attached postage-paid postcard, or by calling toll free; you must notify us at least 15 days prior to the next election or you may be required to vote using a provisional ballot.”

(c) If postal service change-of-address data received from a nonforwardable mailing indicates that a voter has moved and left no forwarding address or indicates that a voter has moved out of the state, a forwardable notice shall be sent in substantially the same format as the notice set forth in paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of Section 20507 of Title 52 of the United States Code.

(d) The use of a toll-free number to confirm the old residence address is optional. Any change to the voter address must be received in writing.

(e) Upon the mailing of the forwardable address confirmation notice described in subdivision (b) to a voter, the county elections official shall not update the status of the voter’s registration to inactive.

(f) Upon the mailing of the forwardable address confirmation notice described in subdivision (c) to a voter, the county elections official shall update the status of the voter’s registration to inactive.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 262, Sec. 5. (AB 504) Effective January 1, 2020.)