California · Elections Code

ELEC §18522: Neither a person nor a controlled committee shall directly or through any other person or controlled committee pay, lend, or contribute, or offer or promise to pay, lend, or contribute, any money or o

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

It is illegal to pay, lend, or contribute money or valuable consideration to induce or reward voters to vote or refrain from voting in a particular way, or to stay away from polls. Violation is punishable by imprisonment of 16 months to three years.

Read the full statutory text

Neither a person nor a controlled committee shall directly or through any other person or controlled committee pay, lend, or contribute, or offer or promise to pay, lend, or contribute, any money or other valuable consideration to or for any voter or to or for any other person to: (a) Induce any voter to: (1) Refrain from voting at any election. (2) Vote or refrain from voting at an election for any particular person or measure. (3) Remain away from the polls at an election. (b) Reward any voter for having: (1) Refrained from voting. (2) Voted for any particular person or measure. (3) Refrained from voting for any particular person or measure. (4) Remained away from the polls at an election. Any person or candidate violating this section is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months or two or three years.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.