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HomeElections CodeDiv. 15Ch. 9Art. 1§ 15601 Ballot Recount Procedures

§ 15601 Ballot Recount Procedures

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

§ 15601 Ballot Recount Procedures

This law tells the Secretary of State to write rules for how to count votes again (recounts) for each voting machine, first by Jan 1 2008 and then to update those rules, including fee rules, by Jan 1 2018.

Key Takeaways

  • •The Secretary of State must create recount rules for every voting system by Jan 1 2008.
  • •Those rules must cover mail‑in and provisional ballots.
  • •By Jan 1 2018 the rules must be updated to include guidelines on any fees a county official can charge for a manual recount.

Example

A county clerk has to recount paper ballots after a close election and wants to charge a small fee for the extra work.

The clerk must follow the recount rules that the Secretary of State set up, and after 2018 those rules also say how much the clerk can charge for a manual recount.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 15601 Ballot Recount Procedures

(a) The Secretary of State, within the Secretary of State’s existing budget, shall adopt regulations no later than January 1, 2008, for each voting system approved for use in the state and specify the procedures for recounting ballots, including vote by mail and provisional ballots, using those voting systems. (b) No later than January 1, 2018, the Secretary of State shall revise and adopt regulations specifying procedures for recounting ballots, including regulations establishing guidelines for charges a county elections official may impose when conducting a manual recount pursuant to this chapter. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 723, Sec. 1. (AB 44) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

Secretary of Stateregulationsrecounting ballotsvote by mailprovisional ballotsmanual recount

Related Statutes

  • § 14314 Provisional Ballot Processing Guidelines
  • § 2105 Voter Registration Outreach Programs
  • § 15600 Election Recount Procedures
  • § 15621 Statewide Election Recount Requests
  • § 15621.5 Manual Recount Consolidation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 15601.
View Official Source