§ 18370 Election Day Polling Restrictions

This law says you can't do any campaigning, hand out petitions, or talk to voters about how to vote when you're within 100 feet of a polling place or a ballot drop‑off, or right next to a voter who is in line.

Key Takeaways

•No campaigning, petition‑circulating, or vote‑soliciting within 100 feet of any polling place entrance or ballot‑drop site.
•You also can’t talk to or give election information to a voter who is standing in line to vote or drop off a ballot.
•Breaking any of these rules is a misdemeanor (a criminal offense).

Example

On Election Day, a volunteer stands 60 feet from the entrance of the school where people are voting and hands out flyers asking voters to sign a recall petition.

Because the volunteer is inside the 100‑foot zone around the polling place and is circulating a petition, the law says that activity is not allowed and the volunteer could be charged.

(a) A person shall not, on election day, or at any time that a voter may be casting a ballot, within the 100 foot limit specified in subdivision (b), do any of the following: (1) Circulate an initiative, referendum, recall, or nomination petition or any other petition. (2) Solicit a vote or speak to a voter on the subject of marking the voter’s ballot. (3) Place a sign relating to voters’ qualifications or speak to a voter on the subject of the voter’s qualifications except as provided in Section 14240. (4) Do any electioneering as defined by Section 319.5. (b) The activities described in subdivision (a) are prohibited within 100 feet of either of the following: (1) The entrance to a building that contains a polling place as defined by Section 338.5, an elections official’s office, or a satellite location specified in Section 3018. (2) An outdoor site, including a curbside voting area, at which a voter may cast or drop off a ballot. (c) A person shall not, on election day, or at any time that a voter may be casting a ballot, do any of the following within the immediate vicinity of a voter in line to cast a ballot or drop off a ballot: (1) Solicit a vote. (2) Speak to a voter about marking the voter’s ballot. (3) Disseminate visible or audible electioneering information. (d) Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 318, Sec. 4. (SB 35) Effective January 1, 2022.)

Key Takeaways

•No campaigning, petition‑circulating, or vote‑soliciting within 100 feet of any polling place entrance or ballot‑drop site.
•You also can’t talk to or give election information to a voter who is standing in line to vote or drop off a ballot.
•Breaking any of these rules is a misdemeanor (a criminal offense).

Example

On Election Day, a volunteer stands 60 feet from the entrance of the school where people are voting and hands out flyers asking voters to sign a recall petition.

Because the volunteer is inside the 100‑foot zone around the polling place and is circulating a petition, the law says that activity is not allowed and the volunteer could be charged.

Key Takeaways

Example

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References

§ 18370 Election Day Polling Restrictions

Key Takeaways

Example

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References

Key Takeaways

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Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

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Key Terms

Related Statutes

References