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HomeElections CodeDiv. 16Ch. 8Art. 3§ 16742 Election Contest Judgment Certification

§ 16742 Election Contest Judgment Certification

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

§ 16742 Election Contest Judgment Certification

This law explains how election officials must update vote records when a legal contest happens in more than one county, ensuring the official vote list is corrected before the winner is certified.

Key Takeaways

  • •Court rulings in each contested county must specify any changes to the vote returns.
  • •Certified copies of those rulings are delivered to the Secretary of State.
  • •The Secretary updates the official vote compilation and nomination certificate based on those changes.

Example

Two neighboring counties dispute the vote count for a candidate, and a court in each county issues a decision about the correct tally.

The court decisions tell the Secretary of State what changes to make in the official vote totals for each county. The Secretary then updates the records, sends out certified copies of the decisions, and adjusts the final certification of the nominee accordingly.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 16742 Election Contest Judgment Certification

If the contest proceeds in more than one county, and the nominee is to be certified by the Secretary of State from the compilation of election returns in his or her office, the judgment in each county in which there has been a contest shall show what, if any, changes in the returns in the office of the Secretary of State relating to that county ought to be made. Certified copies of the judgments shall be served upon the Secretary of State. He or she shall make the changes in the record in his or her office as each judgment requires, and conform his or her compilation and his or her certificate of nomination accordingly. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

contestnomineeSecretary of Statecompilation of election returnscertificate of nomination

Related Statutes

  • § 15551 Ballot Preservation In Contests
  • § 16740 Recount Decision By Judges
  • § 16741 Judgment Enforcement In Elections
  • § 2600 Language Accessibility Advisory Committee
  • § 11043.5 Recall Petition Format Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 16742.
View Official Source