(a) The following provisions apply to those elections in which candidates for one or more of the following offices are voted upon: President, Vice President, United States Senator, and United States Representative.
(b) The elections official shall preserve the package or packages containing the following items for a period of 22 months:
(1) Two tally sheets.
(2) The copy of the roster used as the voting record. If an electronic poll book is used, a copy of the electronic data file may be preserved in lieu of creating a paper copy.
(3) The challenge lists.
(4) The assisted voters’ list.
(c) All voters may inspect the contents of the package or packages at all times following commencement of the official canvass of the votes.
(d) If a contest is not commenced within the 22-month period, or if a criminal prosecution involving fraudulent use, marking, or falsification of ballots, or forgery of vote by mail voters’ signatures is not commenced within the 22-month period, either of which may involve the vote of the precinct from which voted ballots were received, the elections official may have the packages destroyed or recycled.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 806, Sec. 80. (SB 286) Effective January 1, 2018.)