Section 15640 Of Article 4. Court-ordered Recounts From California Elections Code >> Division 15. >> Chapter 9. >> Article 4.
15640
. (a) When requested by the board of supervisors or the grand
jury, the district attorney may petition the superior court for an
order directing a public recount to be made of ballots tabulated by a
voting system in any precincts in the county that it designates for
any election occurring not over 25 days before the request. The
request and petition shall be made only on one or more of the
following grounds, and the order may be issued only with a finding
that there is probable cause to believe that one or more of the
grounds exist:
(1) Misconduct by anyone sufficient to make it likely that the
result of the election was affected as to the successful candidates
or propositions or tie holders, including any of the conduct
specified in Section 16100.
(2) Errors or failures, whether electronic, mechanical or
otherwise, in the safekeeping, handling, tallying, counting,
recording, or certification of the ballots or votes cast, sufficient
to make it likely that the result of the election was affected as to
the successful candidates or propositions or tie holders, or
sufficient to cast substantial doubt on the substantial accuracy of
the results without regard to affecting any result.
The petition shall be set for hearing and may be opposed by any
interested party.
(b) The court may order any further recounts that it may deem
proper based on the results of the recounts provided for in
subdivision (a) or in Section 15645, and shall declare the results of
all the recounts, and shall determine and order corrected the
results of any election affected by any recount.
(c) The court may order payment of the costs of any such recount
in whole or in just proportion by any person or any public agency, or
both, who petition for a recount. In the case of public agencies the
costs shall be provided for and paid pursuant to Section 19212.