(a) Subject to this chapter, the paper affidavit of registration shall be in a form prescribed by regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. The affidavit shall comply with all of the following:

(1) Contain the information prescribed in Section 2150.

(2) Contain, near the signature line of the affiant, a statement that the county elections official shall compare the affiant’s signature appearing on an identification envelope for the return of a vote by mail ballot cast in a future election with the signatures appearing in the voter‘s registration record, including the signature appearing on the affidavit of registration.

(3) Allow for the inclusion of informational language to meet the specific needs of that county, including, but not limited to, the return address of the elections official in that county, and a telephone number at which a voter can obtain elections information in that county.

(4) Be included on one portion of a multipart card, to be known as a voter registration card, the other portions of which shall include information sufficient to facilitate completion and mailing of the affidavit. The affidavit portion of the multipart card shall be numbered according to regulations adopted by the Secretary of State. For purposes of facilitating the distribution of voter registration cards as provided in Section 2158, there shall be attached to the affidavit portion a receipt. The receipt shall be separated from the body of the affidavit by a perforated line.

(5) Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement identical or substantially similar to the following:

“Certain voters facing life-threatening situations may qualify for confidential voter status. For more information, please contact the Secretary of State’s Safe At Home program or visit the Secretary of State’s website.”

(6) Contain, in a type size and color of ink that is clearly distinguishable from surrounding text, a statement that the use of voter registration information for commercial purposes is a misdemeanor pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 2194 and Section 18109, and any suspected misuse shall be reported to the Secretary of State.

(7) Contain a toll-free fraud hotline telephone number maintained by the Secretary of State that the public may use to report suspected fraudulent activity concerning misuse of voter registration information.

(8) Be returnable to the county elections official as a self-enclosed mailer with postage prepaid by the Secretary of State.

(b) Nothing contained in this division shall prevent the use of voter registration cards and affidavits of registration in existence on the effective date of this section and produced pursuant to regulations of the Secretary of State, and all references to voter registration cards and affidavits in this division shall be applied to the existing voter registration cards and affidavits of registration.

(c) The Secretary of State may continue to supply existing affidavits of registration prior to printing new or revised forms that reflect the changes required pursuant to this section or Section 2150.

(d)  An affidavit of registration shall not be submitted electronically on a county’s internet website. However, a county may provide a hyperlink on the county’s internet website to the Secretary of State’s electronic voter registration system.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 102, Sec. 1. (AB 1619) Effective January 1, 2023.)