§ 18103 Voter Registration Interference

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says you can't hold up or keep a voter's registration paper, or stop them from giving it back, or else you could be fined up to $1,000.

Key Takeaways

•Send a finished registration to the county elections official right away.
•Don't keep a voter's registration card for more than three days (excluding weekends and holidays) unless they say it's okay.
•Never stop a voter from giving back their own completed registration card.

Example

A clerk at the elections office keeps a voter's completed registration card for a week without the voter's permission, so the voter can't finish registering before the deadline.

Because the clerk held the card for more than three days (not counting weekends) and didn't let the voter return it, the law says the clerk broke the rule and could be fined.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18103 Voter Registration Interference

Any person who knowingly or negligently (a) interferes with the prompt transfer of a completed affidavit of registration to the county elections official, (b) retains a voter’s completed registration card, without the voter’s authorization, for more than three days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, or after the close of registration, or (c) denies a voter the right to return to the county elections official the voter’s own completed registration card, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

affidavit of registration county elections official misdemeanor fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18103.

§ 18103 Voter Registration Interference

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 18103 Voter Registration Interference

This law says you can't hold up or keep a voter's registration paper, or stop them from giving it back, or else you could be fined up to $1,000.

Key Takeaways

•Send a finished registration to the county elections official right away.
•Don't keep a voter's registration card for more than three days (excluding weekends and holidays) unless they say it's okay.
•Never stop a voter from giving back their own completed registration card.

Example

A clerk at the elections office keeps a voter's completed registration card for a week without the voter's permission, so the voter can't finish registering before the deadline.

Because the clerk held the card for more than three days (not counting weekends) and didn't let the voter return it, the law says the clerk broke the rule and could be fined.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18103 Voter Registration Interference

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

affidavit of registration county elections official misdemeanor fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000)

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18103.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References