California · Elections Code

ELEC §17303: (a) The following provisions apply to those elections in which candidates for one or more of the following offices are voted upon: President, Vice President, United States Senator, and United States R

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Elections officials must preserve voting records for 22 months and allow public inspection. Records may be destroyed afterward unless legal contests or criminal prosecutions are pending.

Read the full statutory text

(a) The following provisions apply to those elections in which candidates for one or more of the following offices are voted upon: President, Vice President, United States Senator, and United States Representative. (b) The elections official shall preserve the package or packages containing the following items for a period of 22 months: (1) Two tally sheets. (2) The challenge lists. (3) The assisted voters’ list. (c) All voters may inspect the contents of the package or packages at all times following commencement of the official canvass of the votes. (d) If a contest is not commenced within the 22-month period, or if a criminal prosecution involving fraudulent use, marking, or falsification of ballots, or forgery of vote by mail voters’ signatures is not commenced within the 22-month period, either of which may involve the vote of the precinct from which voted ballots were received, the elections official may have the packages destroyed or recycled.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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