New California Law Requires Free Postage For Mail Ballots

Portrait of GV Wire News Director Bill McEwen

By Bill McEwen, News Director

Published 7 years ago on

July 18, 2018

SACRAMENTO — California is requiring counties to provide free postage for vote-by-mail ballots statewide.
Gov. Jerry Brown announced Wednesday that he signed the bill requiring that return ballot envelopes have prepaid postage beginning in 2019.

10 Counties Will Pay Postage for November Ballot

Currently, 10 of the state’s 58 counties plan to provide postage ballots for the November election. Counties would bear the cost but they may be able to claim reimbursement from the state.

California Mail Ballots Would Have Cost $5.5 Million in 2016

It would have cost $5.5 million had the law been in place for the 2016 general election. The measure affects elections starting next year.

Portrait photo of Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher
Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher of San Diego says the bill eliminates a barrier that disproportionately discouraged voting by young adults because they are less likely to regularly use the postal system.
She says postage can cost up to $1 per ballot.
The bill is AB216.

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Bill McEwen,

News Director

Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email