§ 14402 Polling Place Closing Time

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says if you get to the voting place after the official closing time, you can't vote, even if the doors are still open.

Key Takeaways

•You must be at the polling place before the official closing time.
•Arriving after that time means you lose the right to vote that day.
•It doesn't matter if the voting site is still open; the clock decides.

Example

A person shows up at the school gym to vote at 8:05 PM, but the polls were scheduled to close at 8:00 PM.

Because they arrived after the set closing time, the law says they are not allowed to cast a ballot, even though the voting area is still open.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 14402 Polling Place Closing Time

Any one who arrives at the polling place after the time provided for closing the polls shall not be entitled to vote, even though the polls are open when the voter arrives. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

polling place closing the polls entitled to vote

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 14402.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References