If the number of votes that are sought to be recounted or the number of contests are such that the judge in a county in which there is but one superior court judge is of the opinion that it will require additional judges to enable the contest or contests to be determined in time to print the ballots for the election, he or she may obtain the service of any other superior judge, and the proceedings shall be the same as provided for a county in which there is more than one superior court judge.
Court’s DutiesPrimary Elections: Contests Involving a Recount
Section § 16640
If a single judge in a county needs help to recount votes or decide election contests in time for printing ballots, they can bring in another judge to assist. The process will then follow the same rules used in counties with multiple judges.
vote recount election contest additional judges
Section § 16641
This law is about what happens if there is an election contest in a county with multiple superior court judges. The judge in charge of the case has to inform the head judge right away about how many judges are needed to resolve the contest quickly so they can get the ballots ready for the final election on time. The head judge will then assign enough judges to help out, and those judges will work together to recount the ballots and decide on the outcome of the contest as the law outlines.
If the proceeding is in a county where there is more than one superior court judge, the judge to whom the case is assigned shall notify the presiding judge forthwith of the number of judges which he or she deems necessary to participate in order to finish the contest in time to print the ballots for the final election. The presiding judge shall forthwith designate as many judges as are necessary to completion of the contest, by order in writing and thereupon all of the judges so designated shall participate in the recount of the ballots and the giving of judgment in the contest in the manner specified in this article.
election contest superior court judge presiding judge
Section § 16642
This law outlines the procedure for recounting votes in an election contest. It states that the judges involved will meet and decide which voting precincts each judge will handle separately. Each judge will recount their assigned precincts independently, ensuring that once ballots are reviewed by one judge, they don't need to be reviewed again by another judge.
The judges designated by the order to hear the contest, including the judge to whom the contest was originally assigned, shall convene upon notice from the judge to whom the contest was originally assigned, and agree upon the precincts which each one of them, sitting separately, will recount. Thereupon the recount shall so proceed that each judge, sitting separately, shall respectively determine the recount in those precincts which have been assigned to him or her, so that the ballots opened before one judge need not be opened before another judge or department.
election recount precinct vote contest
Section § 16643
This law states that when a judge is conducting a recount of election precincts, the process should mirror the procedures used in contested elections. This includes how the judge appoints the necessary election officials and assistants. Additionally, Section 16503 is also relevant to the recount process.
The proceedings before every judge in making a recount of the precincts assigned to him or her, as to the appointment of the elections official and persons necessary to be assistants of the court in making it, shall be the same as in contested elections. Section 16503 applies to the recount.
election recount judge proceedings contested elections
