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HomeElections CodeDiv. 18Ch. 6Art. 4§ 18566 Election Return Forgery Penalties

§ 18566 Election Return Forgery Penalties

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

§ 18566 Election Return Forgery Penalties

This law says it’s a crime to make up or fake election results, whether the precinct never had an election or by swapping real results with fake ones, and you can go to jail for 2 to 4 years.

Key Takeaways

  • •Making up election results for a precinct that never voted is illegal.
  • •Swapping real election results with fake ones for a precinct that did vote is illegal.
  • •The punishment is imprisonment for two, three, or four years.

Example

A person creates a fake vote tally for a small town that never held an election and sends it to the state, or a person takes the real vote count from a precinct that did hold an election and replaces it with a made‑up count.

In either case the person is breaking the law and could be sentenced to two, three, or four years in prison.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18566 Election Return Forgery Penalties

Every person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years who: (a) Forges or counterfeits returns of an election purported to have been held at a precinct where no election was in fact held. (b) Willfully substitutes forged or counterfeit returns of election in the place of true returns for a precinct where an election was actually held. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 83. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

forges or counterfeits returnswillfully substitutesimprisonmenttwo, three, or four years

Related Statutes

  • § 18561 Voter Fraud Assistance Penalties
  • § 18567 Election Vote Tampering Penalty
  • § 18568 Election Ballot Tampering Penalties
  • § 18569 Aiding Firearm Offenses
  • § 18578 Mail Ballot Fraud Penalties

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18566.
View Official Source