Chapter 2. Precinct Supplies of California Elections Code >> Division 14. >> Chapter 2.

The county elections official, in providing the materials required by this division, shall not be required to utilize the services of the county purchasing agent.

(a) On or before the first day of January of each even-numbered year, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General shall prepare a brief digest containing the substance of those provisions of this code and of other statutes that pertain to the duties of precinct officers during the casting and the canvassing of the vote. This digest shall contain in each case a reference to the section of this code or other statute, by reference to which further examination of its provisions may be made.
  (b) Immediately upon the completion of the digest set forth in subdivision (a), the Secretary of State shall send a copy to each county elections official.

(a) (1) For each statewide election, the elections official shall provide a sufficient number of official ballots in each precinct to reasonably meet the needs of the voters in that precinct on election day using the precinct's voter turnout history as the criterion, but in no case shall this number be less than 75 percent of registered voters in the precinct, and for vote by mail and emergency purposes shall provide the additional number of ballots that may be necessary.
  (2) The number of party ballots to be furnished to any precinct for a primary election shall be computed from the number of voters registered in that precinct as intending to affiliate with a party, and the number of nonpartisan ballots to be furnished to any precinct shall be computed from the number of voters registered in that precinct without statement of intention to affiliate with any of the parties participating in the primary election.
  (b) For all other elections, the elections official shall provide a sufficient number of official ballots in each precinct to reasonably meet the needs of the voters in that precinct on election day, using the precinct's voter turnout history as the criterion, but in no case shall this number be less than 75 percent of the number of registered voters in the precinct, and for vote by mail and emergency purposes shall provide the additional number of ballots that may be necessary.

Before the opening of the polls at any election, the elections official shall cause to be delivered to the precinct board in each precinct in which the election is to be held, the proper number of ballots of the kinds to be used in that precinct. The ballots shall be delivered in sealed packages with marks on the outside clearly designating the precinct or polling place for which they are intended, and the number of ballots enclosed.

The elections official shall prepare a receipt for each polling place, enumerating the packages and stating the date of delivery to the precinct board member. The precinct board member shall sign the receipt upon receipt of the packages. The signed receipt shall be returned to the elections official. Messengers may be employed to insure the safe and expeditious delivery of the ballots. The elections official shall fix a reasonable compensation for the services of these messengers, to be paid in the same manner as other election expenses.

The elections official shall furnish to the precinct officers all of the following:
  (a) Printed copies of the indexes.
  (b) Necessary printed blanks for the roster, tally sheets, lists of voters, declarations, and returns.
  (c) Envelopes in which to enclose returns.
  (d) Not less than six nor more than 12 instruction cards to each precinct for the guidance of voters in obtaining and marking their ballots. On each card shall be printed necessary instructions and the provisions of Sections 14225, 14279, 14280, 14287, 14291, 14295, 15271, 15272, 15273, 15276, 15277, 15278, 18370, 18380, 18403, 18563, and 18569.
  (e) A digest of the election laws with any further instructions the county elections official may desire to make.
  (f) An American flag of sufficient size to adequately assist the voter in identifying the polling place. The flag is to be erected at or near the polling place on election day.
  (g) A ballot container, properly marked on the outside indicating its contents.
  (h) When it is necessary to supply additional ballot containers, these additional containers shall also be marked on the outside, indicating their contents.
  (i) Sufficient ink pads and stamps for each booth. The stamps shall be one solid piece and shall be made so that a cross (+) may be made with either end. If ballots are to be counted by vote tabulating equipment, an adequate supply of other approved voting devices shall be furnished. All voting stamps or voting devices shall be maintained in good usable condition.
  (j) When a candidate or candidates have qualified to have his or her or their names counted pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 15340) of Chapter 4 of Division 15, a sufficient number of ink pens or pencils in the voting booths for the purpose of writing in on the ballot the name of the candidate or candidates.
  (k) A sufficient number of cards to each polling place containing the telephone number of the office to which a voter may call to obtain information about his or her precinct location. The card shall state that the voter may call collect during polling hours.
  (l) An identifying badge or insignia for each member of the precinct board. The member shall print his or her name and the precinct number thereon and shall wear the badge or insignia at all times in the performance of duties, so as to be readily identified as a member of the precinct board by all persons entering the polling place.
  (m) Facsimile copies of the ballot containing ballot measures and ballot instructions printed in Spanish or other languages as provided in Section 14201.
  (n) Sufficient copies of the notices to be posted on the indexes used at the polls. The notice shall read as follows: "This index shall not be marked in any manner except by a member of the precinct board acting pursuant to Section 14297 of the Elections Code. Any person who removes, tears, marks, or otherwise defaces this index with the intent to falsify or prevent others from readily ascertaining the name, address, or political affiliation of any voter, or the fact that a voter has or has not voted, is guilty of a misdemeanor."
  (o) A roster of voters for each precinct in the form prescribed in Section 14107.
  (p) In addition, the elections official may, with the approval of the board of supervisors, furnish the original books of affidavits of registration or other material necessary to verify signatures to the precinct officers.
  (q) Printed copies of the Voter Bill of Rights, as supplied by the Secretary of State. The Voter Bill of Rights shall be conspicuously posted both inside and outside every polling place. This section shall become operative on January 1, 1990.

In addition to the materials identified in Section 14105, the elections official shall furnish to the precinct officers printed copies of the notices specified in Section 9083.5, as supplied by the Secretary of State. The notices shall be conspicuously posted both inside and outside every polling place.

(a) The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-252) requires voting information to be publicly posted at each polling place on the day of each election for federal office. Voting information is defined as including general information on voting rights under applicable federal and state laws, including information on the right of an individual to cast a provisional ballot and instructions on how to contact the appropriate officials if these rights are alleged to have been violated.
  (b) The Secretary of State shall print posters and other appropriate materials setting forth the voter rights listed in Section 2300. The posters shall be printed in as many languages as the Secretary of State determines are necessary, but, at a minimum, in sufficient languages to comply with Section 14201 and with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended by Public Law 94-73. The Secretary of State shall distribute the posters and materials to all county elections officials sufficiently in advance of statewide elections.

Members of the precinct board shall not display, distribute, or make available at the polling place any materials other than those required pursuant to this division without the express approval of the county elections official.

In addition to the materials required by Section 14105, the elections official shall provide signs, or materials for making signs, advising voters that an election has been canceled pursuant to Section 8026 due to the death of the candidate-incumbent and that a special election will be held to fill the vacancy.

(a) The roster to be kept by each precinct board shall be substantially in the following form:

Roster of the ________ election held in the ________ precinct ________ district, County of ________, on the ________ day of ________, 20___. Following are the voters of above precinct desiring to vote under Sections 14216, 14218, 14278, and 14284 of the Elections Code: __________________________________________________ No. Signature of voter Residence of voter 1 _____________________ _____________________ 2 _____________________ _____________________ 3 _____________________ _____________________ etc. _____________________ _____________________ __________________________________________________

We hereby certify that all voters whose signatures appear hereinbefore in this roster voted this day excepting the following who, after signing the roster, failed to vote or were challenged and denied the right to vote.

No. Name No. Name _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________

We further certify that the number of voters who voted in this precinct at this election is ____, and that the above list of voters, less those who did not vote as enumerated, constitutes the roster of this precinct for this election. We further certify that the total number of official ballots received, voted, rejected, spoiled and canceled, found in the ballot container and the number accounted for is as indicated on the ballot statement. We further certify that the assisted voters list and challenge list show a complete list of all voters assisted or challenged.

______ __________ Clerk Inspector ______ ______ Clerk Judge ______ ______ Clerk Judge

All members of the precinct board shall sign this certificate.
  (b) When votes are counted at the precinct, all members of the board shall also sign the certificate of performance prescribed in Section 15280.

In addition to the provisions contained in Section 14107, the roster shall contain, in no less than 6-point type at the head of each page, the following words: "WARNING: It is a crime punishable by imprisonment in the state prison or in county jail for anyone to fraudulently vote, fraudulently attempt to vote, vote more than once, attempt to vote more than once, impersonate a voter, or attempt to impersonate a voter (Elections Code Sec. 18560)."

Notwithstanding Sections 14105 and 14107, the roster to be kept by each precinct board may be in a form of an index to the affidavits of registration for that precinct, in which case the index shall provide space of sufficient size to allow each voter to sign his or her name pursuant to Section 14216.

All officers required by law to designate polling places shall furnish the polling places with a sufficient number of places, booths, or compartments, at or in which voters may conveniently mark their ballots, so that they may be screened from the observation of others. Each place, compartment, or booth shall be so adjusted as to conceal from any observation the voter's marking of the ballot. The number of voting booths or compartments shall be determined by the officer conducting the election. This section shall become operative on January 1, 1990.

Translations of the ballot measures and ballot instructions, as required by Section 14201, shall be provided by a person selected by the elections official who is one of the following:
  (a) A certified and registered interpreter on the Judicial Council Master List.
  (b) An interpreter categorized as "certified" or "professionally qualified" by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
  (c) From an institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education.
  (d) A current voting member in good standing of the American Translators Association.
  (e) A current member in good standing of the American Association of Language Specialists.

All voting equipment shall be transferred to the polling places in charge of an authorized official, who shall certify to their delivery in good order.

Ballots and other election supplies appropriate to the system shall be furnished as provided for other precincts except that:
  (a) No rubber stamps or ink pads shall be supplied when only ballots to be punched are used.
  (b) Ballots shall be suitable to be punched or slotted in the marking device and subsequently counted on an approved mechanical or electronic counting device.
  (c) The containers of the ballots shall be of a type so that they will adequately protect the ballots and that they can be opened without mutilation.