A voting machine shall, except at a direct primary election or any election at which a candidate for voter-nominated office is to appear on the ballot, permit the voter to vote for all the candidates of one party or in part for the candidates of one party and in part for the candidates of one or more other parties.
Elections Using Voting MachinesGeneral Provisions
Section § 19300
This law states that voting machines must allow voters to choose candidates from one party or candidates from multiple parties unless it's a direct primary election or an election featuring a candidate for a voter-nominated office.
voting machine direct primary election voter-nominated office
Section § 19301
This law section outlines how voting machines should display candidates for general elections. It states that candidates must be grouped under the name of the office they are running for and include their political party affiliations, if applicable. For party-nominated offices, party names can be abbreviated. For voter-nominated offices, the display format must match a specific format described elsewhere.
(a)CA Elections Code § 19301(a) A voting machine shall provide in the general election for grouping under the name of the office to be voted on, all the candidates for the office with the designation of the parties, if any, by which they were respectively nominated or which they designated pursuant to Section 8002.5.
(b)CA Elections Code § 19301(b) With respect to a party-nominated office, the designation may be by usual or reasonable abbreviation of party names. With respect to a voter-nominated office, the voting machine shall conform to the format specified in subdivision (a) of Section 13105.
voting machine general election candidate grouping
Section § 19302
When voting machines are used, the labels and how candidates' names are organized should closely match the format of ballots used when voting without machines.
The labels on voting machines and the way in which candidates’ names are grouped shall conform as nearly as possible to the form of ballot provided for in elections where voting machines are not used.
voting machines ballot format candidate name grouping
Section § 19303
This law explains how voting machines in California can work if they allow voters to choose presidential electors from different parties or even those not affiliated with any party. It allows for a device on the machine where a voter can choose to vote for all electors from one party with a single action. Additionally, this device may display a label with 'presidential electors,' the party name, and its candidates for President and Vice President. The machine also records the votes cast in this manner.
Similarly, for delegates to a national party convention, the machine can allow voters to choose all candidates from one party with one action. However, such straight party voting is only permitted for presidential electors or convention delegates, not for other offices.
If the voting machine is so constructed that a voter can cast a vote in part for presidential electors of one party and in part for those of one or more other parties or those not nominated by any party, it may also be provided with: (a) one device for each party for voting for all the presidential electors of that party by one operation, (b) a ballot label therefor containing only the words “presidential electors” preceded by the name of the party and followed by the names of its candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, and (c) a registering device therefor which shall register the vote cast for the electors when thus voted collectively.
If a voting machine is so constructed that a voter can cast a vote in part for delegates to a national party convention of one party and in part for those of one or more other parties or those not nominated by any party, it may be provided with one device for each party for voting by one operation for each group of candidates to national conventions that may be voted for as a group according to the law governing presidential primaries.
No straight party voting device shall be used except for delegates to a national convention or for presidential electors.
voting machine presidential electors party voting device
Section § 19304
For a write-in vote to count, it must be submitted in the correct spot on the voting machine. If placed incorrectly, it won't be counted.
A write-in ballot shall be cast in its appropriate place on the machine, or it shall be void and not counted.
write-in ballot voting machine cast correctly
