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HomeElections CodeDiv. 12Ch. 3Art. 5§ 12284 State Facilities For Voting

§ 12284 State Facilities For Voting

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 12284 State Facilities For Voting

The law says that when the elections official asks, state‑owned buildings, parking lots and other places must be given for free to be used as polling places, unless they can’t keep secret papers safe, aren’t open to the public, would mess up state work, or just aren’t practical.

Key Takeaways

  • •State buildings must be free for voting when the elections official requests them.
  • •The Department of General Services can say no if the building can’t protect confidential info, isn’t open to the public, would disrupt state business, or isn’t practical.
  • •The rule started on Jan 1 2019 after the 2018 amendment.

Example

A county wants to use the state‑run community center as a voting site. The elections official asks for it, and the center is offered at no cost.

Because the center is a state‑owned facility and can be used safely, it can be a polling place. If the center had a locked archive room with confidential files that couldn’t be protected, the Department of General Services could say no.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 12284 State Facilities For Voting

Upon request of the elections official, state-owned buildings, parking lots, and other facilities shall be made available free of charge for use as polling places and vote centers, except that the Department of General Services may exclude from use as polling places or vote centers state facilities at which access to confidential materials cannot be reasonably safeguarded, which are inaccessible to the public, the use of which would disrupt state business, or which are otherwise impractical for use as polling places. (Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 343, Sec. 2. (AB 2540) Effective January 1, 2019.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

state-owned buildingspolling placesvote centersDepartment of General Services

Related Statutes

  • § 12224 Precinct Voter Group Division
  • § 12280 Polling Place Accessibility Rules
  • § 12286 Precinct And Polling Setup
  • § 12225 Federal Mail Ballot Precincts
  • § 12281 Polling Place Change Notice

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 12284.
View Official Source