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HomeElections CodeDiv. 18Ch. 6Art. 3§ 18543 Voter Intimidation Prohibited

§ 18543 Voter Intimidation Prohibited

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

§ 18543 Voter Intimidation Prohibited

This law says it’s illegal to wrongly question someone's right to vote or to tell them they can’t vote when they actually can, especially if it’s done to stop people from voting.

Key Takeaways

  • •You may not challenge a voter’s right unless you have a real, legal reason.
  • •You cannot falsely tell someone they aren’t registered or eligible to vote.
  • •Doing either on purpose can lead to up to a year in jail or prison, and planning it with others is also a felony.

Example

A volunteer at a polling place tells a registered voter that they are not eligible to vote, so the voter leaves without casting a ballot.

Because the voter is actually eligible, the volunteer broke the law by giving false information that prevented the voter from voting.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18543 Voter Intimidation Prohibited

(a) Every person who knowingly challenges a person’s right to vote without probable cause or on fraudulent or spurious grounds, or who engages in mass, indiscriminate, and groundless challenging of voters solely for the purpose of preventing voters from voting or to delay the process of voting, or who fraudulently advises any person that he or she is not eligible to vote or is not registered to vote when in fact that person is eligible or is registered, or who violates Section 14240, is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 12 months or in the state prison. (b) Every person who conspires to violate subdivision (a) is guilty of a felony. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

knowingly challengesprobable causefraudulent or spurious groundsmass, indiscriminate, and groundless challengingconspires to violatefelony

Related Statutes

  • § 15470 Committee Candidate Election Requirements
  • § 16540 Affidavit Hearing Scheduling
  • § 18500 Voter Fraud Penalties
  • § 18540 Voter Intimidation Prohibition
  • § 18541 Voter Intimidation Near Polling Places

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18543.
View Official Source