SECTIONS 15300-15304 - California Statutes

ELECTIONS CODE

SECTION 15300-15304

15300. This chapter applies to all elections.

15301. The canvass shall commence no later than the Thursday
following the election, shall be open to the public, and, for state
or statewide elections, shall result in a report of results to the
Secretary of State. The canvass shall be continued daily, Saturdays,
Sundays, and holidays excepted, for not less than six hours each day
until completed.

15302. The official canvass shall include, but not be limited to,
the following tasks:
(a) An inspection of all materials and supplies returned by poll
workers.
(b) A reconciliation of the number of signatures on the roster
with the number of ballots recorded on the ballot statement.
(c) In the event of a discrepancy in the reconciliation required
by subdivision (b), the number of ballots received from each polling
place shall be reconciled with the number of ballots cast, as
indicated on the ballot statement.
(d) A reconciliation of the number of ballots counted, spoiled,
canceled, or invalidated due to identifying marks, overvotes, or as
otherwise provided by statute, with the number of votes recorded,
including vote by mail and provisional ballots, by the vote counting
system.
(e) Processing and counting any valid vote by mail and provisional
ballots not included in the semifinal official canvass.
(f) Counting any valid write-in votes.
(g) Reproducing any damaged ballots, if necessary.
(h) Reporting final results to the governing board and the
Secretary of State, as required.

15303. If the returns from any precinct are incomplete, ambiguous,
not properly authenticated, or otherwise defective, the elections
official may issue and serve subpoenas requiring members of the
precinct board to appear and be examined under oath concerning the
manner in which votes were counted and the result of the count in
their precinct. This section shall apply when ballots are tabulated
manually or automatically at the polls.

15304. In jurisdictions using a central counting place, the
elections official may appoint not less than three deputies to open
the envelopes or containers with the materials returned from the
precincts. If, after examination, any of the materials are
incomplete, ambiguous, not properly authenticated, or otherwise
defective, the precinct officers may be summoned before the elections
official and examined under oath to describe polling place
procedures and to correct the errors or omissions.