A person shall not directly or through any other person pay or receive any money or other valuable consideration before, during, or after an election in order to reward any person or as a reward for voting for or against or agreeing to vote for or against the election or endorsement of any other person as the nominee or candidate of any caucus, convention, organized assemblage of delegates, or other body representing or claiming to represent a political party, candidate, or principle, or any club, society, or association. A violation of this section shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months or two or three years.
Election CampaignsPolitical Party Caucuses
Section § 18310
This law prohibits paying or receiving money or any valuable reward to influence someone's vote or agreement to vote in any election or endorsement for a candidate or nominee associated with any political party or organization. Essentially, you can't buy votes. If you break this law, you could face 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in prison according to another section of the Penal Code.
voter bribery vote buying election influence
Section § 18311
This law states that anyone who gives or offers a bribe to influence a political officer, member of a political convention, committee, or gathering in favor of one candidate over another can face imprisonment for 16 months, two years, or three years.
Similarly, if someone as part of these political bodies accepts or offers to accept a bribe, they also face the same punishment.
Every person is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months or two or three years who:
(a)CA Elections Code § 18311(a) Gives or offers a bribe to any officer or member of any political convention, committee, or political gathering of any kind, held for the purpose of nominating candidates for offices of honor, trust, or profit in this state, with intent to influence the person to whom the bribe is given or offered to be more favorable to one candidate than another.
(b)CA Elections Code § 18311(b) Being a member of any of the bodies mentioned in this section receives or offers to receive any bribe described in subdivision
(a).
political bribery influence candidates punishment for bribery
