LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeElections CodeDiv. 19Ch. 3Art. 4§ 19242 Accessible Voting Technology Rules

§ 19242 Accessible Voting Technology Rules

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

§ 19242 Accessible Voting Technology Rules

This law makes the state set rules for voting machines that help people with disabilities and requires every polling place to have at least one such machine, unless there’s no federal candidate on the ballot and no money to buy one.

Key Takeaways

  • •The Secretary of State must write and publish rules for voting technology that helps voters with disabilities.
  • •Every polling place must have at least one voting unit approved by the Secretary of State that provides the required accessibility.
  • •If no federal office is on the ballot, a local agency can skip the requirement unless there is money from specific sources (like the Voting Modernization Bond Act or federal funds) to buy the accessible machine.

Example

Maria uses a wheelchair and wants to vote in a presidential election at her local precinct.

Because a federal office (president) is on the ballot, the precinct must have at least one voting machine that meets the accessibility rules, so Maria can vote without extra help.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 19242 Accessible Voting Technology Rules

(a) The Secretary of State shall adopt and publish rules and regulations governing any voting technology and systems used by the state or any political subdivision that provide voters with disabilities the access required under the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.). (b) At each polling place, at least one voting unit certified or conditionally approved by the Secretary of State shall provide voters with disabilities the access required under the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.). (c) A local agency is not required to comply with subdivision (b) in an election in which a candidate for federal office does not appear on the ballot unless sufficient funds are available to implement that provision. Funds received from the proceeds of the Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2002 (Article 5 (commencing with Section 19250)), from federal funds made available to purchase new voting systems, or from any other source except the General Fund, shall be used for that purpose. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 732, Sec. 35. (AB 1536) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

voting technologyvoters with disabilitiesHelp America Vote Act of 2002Voting Modernization Bond Act of 2002

Related Statutes

  • § 19240 Voting Accessibility For Disabilities
  • § 19243 Voter Disability Access Recommendations
  • § 19244 Voting System Compliance Deadline
  • § 12260 Precinct Boundary Changes
  • § 12261 Election Precinct Boundary Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 19242.
View Official Source