§ 18545 Armed Presence At Polling Places

This law says you can't put armed people or uniformed police, guards, or security staff at a voting place unless you have written permission from the election official or a federal court order.

Key Takeaways

•You must have written authorization from the election official or a federal court before placing armed or uniformed personnel at a polling place.
•The rule applies to anyone with a gun, a police officer, a private guard, or anyone wearing a police‑like uniform.
•The owner of the building isn’t punished if the guard wasn’t hired just for the election day.

Example

A political group hires a private security company that brings armed guards in police uniforms to stand outside a polling place on Election Day without getting written approval.

Because they didn't have the required written permission, the guards and the people who hired them could be sent to jail for up to a year and fined up to $10,000.

(a) Any person who hires or arranges for any other person in possession of a firearm or any uniformed law enforcement officer, private guard, or security personnel or any person who is wearing a uniform of a law enforcement officer, guard, or security personnel, to be stationed in the immediate vicinity of, or posted at, a polling place or a county elections office without written authorization of the appropriate elections official or written authorization by a federal court order is punishable imprisonment in a county jail for a period not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code and by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000). (b) This section does not apply to the owner or manager of the facility or property in which the polling place is located if the private guard or security personnel is not hired or arranged solely for the day on which the election is held. (c) For purposes of this section, “law enforcement officer” means either of the following: (1) A peace officer as defined in Section 830 of the Penal Code. (2) An officer or agent of a federal law enforcement agency or any person acting on behalf of a federal law enforcement agency. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 238, Sec. 6. (SB 851) Effective October 1, 2025.)

This law says you can't put armed people or uniformed police, guards, or security staff at a voting place unless you have written permission from the election official or a federal court order.

Key Takeaways

•You must have written authorization from the election official or a federal court before placing armed or uniformed personnel at a polling place.
•The rule applies to anyone with a gun, a police officer, a private guard, or anyone wearing a police‑like uniform.
•The owner of the building isn’t punished if the guard wasn’t hired just for the election day.

Example

A political group hires a private security company that brings armed guards in police uniforms to stand outside a polling place on Election Day without getting written approval.

Because they didn't have the required written permission, the guards and the people who hired them could be sent to jail for up to a year and fined up to $10,000.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

§ 18545 Armed Presence At Polling Places

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References