§ 14405 Ballot Accounting By Precincts

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law tells the local election board to count all the ballots they got, send back any unused ones, and finish required paperwork, unless the voting is done at a vote center.

Key Takeaways

•The precinct board must match the number of ballots they got with the used, spoiled, and returned unused ballots.
•They can do the count at the polling place or let the county official do it at the central counting site.
•They also have to finish the roster and sign the performance certificate if those forms apply.
•The rule does not apply when voting is done at vote centers.

Example

After a town election, the precinct board looks at the stack of ballots they received, counts how many were actually used, and sends the leftover blank ballots back to the county.

They make sure the total of used ballots, spoiled ballots, and the blank ones they send back adds up to the number they were originally given, and they fill out the required roster and performance certificate.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 14405 Ballot Accounting By Precincts

(a) The members of the precinct board shall account for the ballots delivered to them by returning a sufficient number of unused ballots to make up, when added to the number of official ballots cast and the number of spoiled and canceled ballots returned, the number of ballots given to them. The accounting of ballots may either: (1) Take place at the polling place. (2) Be performed by the county elections official at the central counting place. (b) The precinct board shall complete the roster as required in Section 14107, and shall also complete and sign the certificate of performance prescribed in Section 15280, if that section applies. (c) This section does not apply to elections conducted using vote centers. (Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 806, Sec. 67. (SB 286) Effective January 1, 2018.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

precinct board ballots polling place central counting place vote centers

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 14405.

§ 14405 Ballot Accounting By Precincts

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 14405 Ballot Accounting By Precincts

This law tells the local election board to count all the ballots they got, send back any unused ones, and finish required paperwork, unless the voting is done at a vote center.

Key Takeaways

•The precinct board must match the number of ballots they got with the used, spoiled, and returned unused ballots.
•They can do the count at the polling place or let the county official do it at the central counting site.
•They also have to finish the roster and sign the performance certificate if those forms apply.
•The rule does not apply when voting is done at vote centers.

Example

After a town election, the precinct board looks at the stack of ballots they received, counts how many were actually used, and sends the leftover blank ballots back to the county.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 14405 Ballot Accounting By Precincts

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

precinct board ballots polling place central counting place vote centers

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 14405.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References