§ 18520 Voter Bribery Prohibition

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law makes it illegal to promise or give a job or any position to a voter (or anyone else) to try to make them vote a certain way or not vote at all.

Key Takeaways

•You cannot offer, promise, or give any job or position to influence a voter’s choice.
•The rule applies whether you do it yourself or through someone else.
•Breaking this rule can send you to prison for about 16 months up to three years.

Example

A city council member tells a local business owner, "If you don't vote for my opponent, I'll give you a city job."

Because the council member is offering a job to change how the business owner votes, that promise breaks the law.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18520 Voter Bribery Prohibition

A person shall not directly or through another person give, offer, or promise any office, place, or employment, or promise to procure or endeavor to procure any office, place, or employment to or for any voter, or to or for any other person, in order to induce that voter at any election to: (a) Refrain from voting. (b) Vote for any particular person. (c) Refrain from voting for any particular person. A violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months or two or three years. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 72. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

office place employment voter induce refrain from voting vote for any particular person

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18520.

§ 18520 Voter Bribery Prohibition

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 18520 Voter Bribery Prohibition

This law makes it illegal to promise or give a job or any position to a voter (or anyone else) to try to make them vote a certain way or not vote at all.

Key Takeaways

•You cannot offer, promise, or give any job or position to influence a voter’s choice.
•The rule applies whether you do it yourself or through someone else.
•Breaking this rule can send you to prison for about 16 months up to three years.

Example

A city council member tells a local business owner, "If you don't vote for my opponent, I'll give you a city job."

Because the council member is offering a job to change how the business owner votes, that promise breaks the law.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18520 Voter Bribery Prohibition

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

office place employment voter induce refrain from voting vote for any particular person

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18520.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References