Source: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections-officers-digest-2016/canvassing-vote/
Timestamp: 2018-03-21 05:01:41
Document Index: 377975660

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 15250', '§ 15272', '§ 15152', '§ 15102', '§ 15276', '§ 15154', '§ 15277', '§ 15279', '§ 15303', '§ 12109', '§ 15207', '§ 15272', '§ 15204', '§ 15204', '§ 15250', '§ 15250', '§ 15250', '§ 15272', '§ 15250', '§ 15273', '§ 15274', '§ 15210', '§ 15275', '§ 15276', '§ 15277', '§ 15277', '§ 15278', '§ 15280', '§ 14432', '§ 14433', '§ 12109', '§ 15205', '§ 15201', '§ 15201', '§ 15272', '§ 15204']

Canvassing The Vote | California Secretary of State
If votes are cast by means of a voting machine, as soon as the polls are closed, the precinct board, in the presence of the watchers and all others lawfully present, shall immediately lock the voting machine against voting and do all of the following: (1) Count the votes cast on voting machines and report the results. (2) Complete, sign, and return to the elections official all furnished forms requiring its signatures. When votes are counted on one or more voting machines at the precinct, all members of the precinct board, upon the completion of their duties, shall sign a certificate of performance. (§§ 15250, 15250.5)
A manual vote count in the precinct shall be public and shall be continued without adjournment until completed and the result is declared. (§ 15272.) If a ballot measure or office affects more than one county, no results will be made public until the polls close in all counties involved. (§ 15152.) At least four members of the precinct board will conduct the canvass. (§ 15102; see also §§ 15276-15277 (requiring one member to read from the ballot, another member to keep watch of each vote to make sure the member reading the ballot does not make an error or omission, and two to keep tally sheets).) All ballots should be inspected for irregularities. Those ballots marked in any way other than provided by law will be rejected. (See below for markings that do not render a ballot invalid.) Rejected ballots will be marked as such and placed in a package for that purpose. (§ 15154(a).)
Each precinct will keep two tally sheets. Sufficient space for tallying the votes cast for each candidate or ballot measure shall be provided. (§ 15277.) After the votes for the entire ballot are read and tallied, the ballots shall not be further examined, but placed in a strong, sealed envelope. The signature of all precinct board members shall be written across the seal. (§ 15279.)
3. Return of Supplies and Records lists the materials to be returned to the county elections official. 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 procedure shall apply when ballots are tabulated manually or automatically at the polls. (§ 15303.)
Whenever the ballots at any election or from any precincts are to be tallied at a central place and not at the precincts, the elections official or secretary of the jurisdiction conducting the election shall specify the public place to be used and give notice of that location. (§ 12109.) The elections official or authorized deputy shall segregate the persons employed to count the ballots into counting boards. These counting boards shall be deemed to be precinct boards, and are subject to all laws governing precinct boards where ballots are counted at the polling place. (§ 15207.) The count shall be public and shall be continued without adjournment until completed and the result is declared. (§ 15272; see also § 15204.)
All proceedings at the central counting place, or counting places, if applicable, shall be open to the view of the public but no person, except one employed and designated for the purpose by the elections official or his or her authorized deputy shall touch any ballot container. Access to the area where electronic data processing equipment is being operated may be restricted to those persons authorized by the elections official. (§ 15204.)
Counting of Ballots at Polls
If votes are cast by means of a voting machine, as soon as the polls are closed, the precinct board, in the presence of the watchers and all others lawfully present, shall immediately lock the voting machine against voting and do all of the following: (1) Count the votes cast on voting machines and report the results pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c). (2) Complete, sign, and return to the elections official all furnished forms requiring its signatures. When votes are counted on one or more voting machines at the precinct, all members of the precinct board, upon the completion of their duties, shall sign a certificate of performance. (§§ 15250, 15250.5(a), (b).)
The certificate of performance shall be substantially in the following form:
□ (A) RESULTS OF VOTES CAST FROM ALL VOTING MACHINES ARE POSTED.
□ (B) RESULTS OF VOTES CAST ARE NOT POSTED FOR VOTING MACHINES THAT RECORDED FEWER THAN 10 BALLOTS. RESULTS OF VOTES CAST ON ALL OTHER VOTING MACHINES ARE POSTED.
□ (C) RESULTS OF VOTES CAST ARE NOT POSTED FOR ANY VOTING MACHINES BECAUSE FEWER THAN 10 BALLOTS WERE CAST IN THE PRECINCT.
Inspector Clerk
Assistant Inspector Clerk
(§ 15250.5(b).)
The precinct board shall sign and post conspicuously on the outside of the polling place a copy of the results of votes cast form. The copy shall remain posted for at least 48 hours after the official time fixed for the closing of the polls. To protect a person’s right to cast a secret ballot under Section 7 of Article II of the California Constitution, in cases where fewer than 10 voters cast ballots on any single voting machine on which the results are tallied at the precinct, the precinct board shall post only the total number of people who voted on that voting machine, and shall not post the total number of votes cast on each voting machine for each candidate for each office or the total number of votes cast on each voting machine for and against each ballot measure. (§ 15250.5(c).)
The count shall be public and shall be continued without adjournment until completed and the result is declared. During the reading and tallying, the ballot read and the tally sheet kept shall be within the clear view of watchers. (§ 15272; see also § 15250.5.)
Unless otherwise provided in the Elections Code, the precinct board members may not constitute themselves into separate squads in an attempt to conduct more than one manual count of the ballots at the same time. (§ 15273.)
The members of the precinct board may relieve each other in the duties of manually counting ballots. (§ 15274.)
In preparing the voted ballot cards for processing by automated tabulating equipment, any ballot that is torn, bent, or otherwise defective shall be corrected so that every vote cast by the voter shall be counted by the automatic tabulating equipment. If necessary, a true duplicate copy of the defective ballot card shall be made and substituted therefor, following the intention of the voter insofar as it can be ascertained from the defective ballot. All duplicate ballots shall be clearly labeled "duplicate," and shall bear a serial number that shall be recorded on the damaged or defective ballot. (§ 15210.)
When manually tallying votes, those ballots not rejected shall be placed in one pile, and the board shall proceed to count by tallying the vote for one or more offices or measures at a time. (§ 15275.) The precinct board members shall ascertain the number of votes cast for each person and for and against each measure in the following manner: One precinct board member shall read from the ballots. As the ballots are read, at least one other precinct board member shall keep watch of each vote so as to check on any possible error or omission on the part of the officer reading or calling the ballot. (§ 15276.)
(a) For voting systems in which write-in spaces appear directly below the list of candidates for that office and provide a voting space, no write-in vote shall be counted unless the voting space next to the write-in space is marked or slotted as directed in the voting instructions, except as provided in subdivision (f) of Section 15342 (which has not been set forth in this Digest).
When ballots are counted by hand, two of the precinct board members shall each keep a tally sheet in a form prescribed by the elections official. Each tally sheet shall contain all of the following:
(1) The name of each candidate being voted for and the specific office for which each candidate is being voted. The offices shall be in the same order as on the ballot.
(2) A list of each measure being voted upon.
(3) Sufficient space to permit the tallying of the full vote cast for each candidate and for and against each measure.
(§ 15277(a).)
The precinct board members keeping the tally sheets shall record opposite each name or measure, with pen or indelible pencil, the number of votes by tallies as the name of each candidate or measure voted upon is read aloud from the respective ballot. (§ 15277(b).)
Comparison of Vote-by-Mail Voters’ List with Roster
When ballots are counted by hand, no precinct board member may make any tally of votes in any other manner than is provided in Division 15, Chapter 3, Article 5 of the Elections Code, nor in any other place than on the tally sheets provided for that purpose. (§ 15278.5.)
We hereby certify that the total number of votes received by each candidate for each office and the total number of votes cast for and against each measure is as indicated on the tally sheets.
We further certify that the results of votes cast forms posted outside the polling place and transmitted to the county elections official show the total number of votes received by each candidate for each office and the total number of votes cast for and against each measure is as indicated.
(§ 15280.)
(b) The roster of voters.
(c) The copy of the index used as the voting record.
(e) The assisted voter's list.
(§ 14432.)
If ballots are counted at precincts pursuant to the write-in vote tally (commencing with Section 15340) or one-percent manual tally procedures (commencing with Section 15360), the precinct board immediately shall transmit, unsealed, to the elections official a statement showing the result of the votes cast at the polling place. The statement shall be open to public inspection. (§ 14433.)
(a) By at least one publication in a newspaper of general circulation published in the jurisdiction where the election is to be held, provided that the publication is made at least 10 days before the day of the election.
(b) If a newspaper of general circulation is not published in that jurisdiction, then by prominently posting the notice in the office of the elections official for at least 10 days before the day of the election.
(§ 12109.)
Qualifications and Duties of Persons Selected to Count and Tally Ballots at a Central Place
(2) Is a deputy or employee of either of the following: (A) The governing board. (B) The elections official.
(§ 15205(a).)
(1) Seal the container used to transport voted ballots and insure that the precinct number is designated on the ballot container.
(2) Certify, sign and seal the several packages or envelopes as directed by the elections official.
(§ 15201(a).)
This foregoing requirements regarding sealing the container used to transport the ballots; to certify, sign, and seal envelopes or packages; and the transport of said ballot containers, packages, or envelopes applies to ballots counted manually at a central location pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 15290) as well as to ballots counted by automated tabulation devices at a central location. (§ 15201(b).)
The count shall be public and shall be continued without adjournment until completed and the result is declared. During the reading and tallying of ballots counted manually, the ballot read and the tally sheet kept shall be within the clear view of watchers. (§ 15272; see also §§ 15204 (requiring, for automated counting at a central location, that "All proceedings at the central counting place, or counting places, if applicable, shall be open to the view of the public"), 15290 (requiring counting boards that manually count ballots to do so "in the same manner as provided where ballots are counted at the polling place pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 15270)").)