California Elections Code

§ 14403

ELEC § 14403 Effective Jan 1, 2018Div. 14 · Ch. 4 · Art. 1

Statute text

(a)Immediately upon the closing of the polls and before any voted ballot is taken from any of the ballot containers, the precinct board member shall, in the presence of all persons in the room who may desire to observe them, proceed to render the unused ballots unusable in one of the following ways:

(1)By drawing across its face, in ink or indelible pencil, two lines that cross each other, the cross to be more than three inches square. The precinct board member shall thereupon, immediately and before any ballots are taken from any ballot container, place all defaced ballots within an envelope or other receptacle provided for that purpose.

(2)By tearing or cutting in a manner so that it is apparent that the ballot has been intentionally destroyed to prevent its use. If this method of destruction is used, it shall be done in a manner so that the serial number of the ballots is retained for the purposes of reconciliation.

…

Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 806, Sec. 65. (SB 286) Effective January 1, 2018.