§ 18631 Petition Signature Theft Penalty

Elections Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says you can't steal or secretly grab a petition with signatures from the person who is collecting it.

Key Takeaways

•Stealing or secretly taking a petition with signatures is illegal.
•It applies to any initiative, referendum, or recall petition that has at least one signature.
•The offense is a misdemeanor, which is a criminal charge.

Example

A volunteer is walking around a neighborhood collecting signatures for a new city law. Someone sneaks up, snatches the stack of signed petitions, and runs away.

Because the person took the signed petitions by force or secretly, they broke the law and could be charged with a misdemeanor.

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

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18631 Petition Signature Theft Penalty

Every person who forcibly or by stealth takes from the possession of a circulator any initiative, referendum, or recall petition on which one or more persons have affixed their signatures is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

initiative referendum recall petition misdemeanor circulator

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 18631.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References