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HomeElections CodeDiv. 16Ch. 7Art. 3§ 16642 Judicial Recount Assignment Rules

§ 16642 Judicial Recount Assignment Rules

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

§ 16642 Judicial Recount Assignment Rules

This law says that the judges handling an election recount must get together, decide which voting areas each will count, and then each judge counts only his or her own areas so the same ballots aren't opened twice.

Key Takeaways

  • •Judges must meet and decide who will recount which precincts.
  • •Each judge counts only the precincts assigned to them.
  • •Ballots opened by one judge don’t need to be opened again by another judge.

Example

In a city mayoral election, Judge A was first assigned to the recount. Judge A calls Judges B and C, and they agree that Judge A will recount precincts 1‑5, Judge B will recount precincts 6‑10, and Judge C will recount precincts 11‑15.

Each judge works alone on the precincts they were given, so the ballots in precinct 1 don’t have to be opened again by Judge B or Judge C.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 16642 Judicial Recount Assignment Rules

The judges designated by the order to hear the contest, including the judge to whom the contest was originally assigned, shall convene upon notice from the judge to whom the contest was originally assigned, and agree upon the precincts which each one of them, sitting separately, will recount. Thereupon the recount shall so proceed that each judge, sitting separately, shall respectively determine the recount in those precincts which have been assigned to him or her, so that the ballots opened before one judge need not be opened before another judge or department. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

judgesrecountprecinctsballots

Related Statutes

  • § 16601 Ballot Recount Procedures
  • § 16640 Election Recount Judge Assistance
  • § 16643 Recount Procedures And Assistants
  • § 14433 Precinct Ballot Result Reporting
  • § 15623 Recount Request Expansion

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 16642.
View Official Source