(a) Notwithstanding Section 13109, for a period of three years commencing with the date that the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles declares that the voting system modernization project underway in 2018 is complete and ready for operation, the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles shall conduct elections using the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8.

(b) The county elections official shall prepare a report regarding the effect of using the alternate ballot order for elections conducted during the time period described in subdivision (a). The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

(1) Statistics and information on the cost of transitioning to the use of the alternate ballot order.

(2) The overall turnout of voters in the jurisdiction for each election conducted using the alternate ballot order.

(3) For different contests listed on the ballot, including, but not limited to, local offices and local ballot measures, state offices and state ballot measures, and federal offices, the following information:

(A) The turnout of voters for each contest.

(B) The number of overvotes and undervotes for each contest.

(C) The dropoff rates for each contest.

(4) Legislative recommendations.

(c) The report described in subdivision (b) shall, whenever possible, compare an election conducted pursuant to this section and using the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8 to similar elections conducted using the ballot order described in Section 13109 in the same jurisdiction or in a comparable jurisdiction.

(d) Three years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a), the county elections official shall submit the report described in subdivision (b) to the Secretary of State and to the Legislature in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The county elections official shall also post a publicly accessible copy of the report on the Internet Web site of the county elections official.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law, the county elections official may adjust ballot instructions to the extent necessary to comply with this section.

(f) Immediately after making the declaration described in subdivision (a), the county elections official shall post the declaration on his or her Internet Web site and send the declaration to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel.

(g) This section shall remain in effect only until the first January 1 that occurs at least four years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a), and as of that date is repealed.

(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 927, Sec. 1. (SB 25) Effective January 1, 2019. Repealed on date prescribed by its own provisions.)