§ 18612 Petition Signature Fraud

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says it's a misdemeanor to sign a petition more than once or to sign it when you aren't allowed to.

Key Takeaways

•Signing a petition twice on purpose is a crime.
•You must be qualified (e.g., a registered voter in the area) to sign the petition.
•Doing either knowingly is treated as a misdemeanor.

Example

Jane signs a recall petition for a city official, then signs the same petition again on a different sheet to add another vote.

Because Jane knowingly put her name on the petition twice, she could be charged with a misdemeanor under this law.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18612 Petition Signature Fraud

Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who knowingly signs his or her own name more than once to any initiative, referendum, or recall petition, or signs his or her name to that petition knowing himself or herself at the time of signing not to be qualified to sign it. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

misdemeanor initiative referendum recall petition knowingly signs

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18612.

Key Takeaways

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Key Terms

Related Statutes

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References