Precinct Boundary Changes - Precincts - Elections - CA

Section § 12260

This law allows the elections official to change precinct boundaries and requires them to prepare new maps or descriptions if they do so. The county surveyor can assist with this. Any changes made within the past three years must be documented and provided to anyone who asks. This includes detailing which precincts have changed, any consolidations that took place, and can include maps. The information must be kept accessible annually. Officials can charge a fee to cover the costs of providing this information.

(a) The elections official may change or alter any precinct boundaries.

(b) If any changes or alterations are made the elections official shall prepare new detail maps or exterior descriptions thereof, or both. The county surveyor shall, if so requested, provide assistance to the elections official in the preparation of the detail maps or exterior descriptions.

(1) All precinct boundary changes and alterations made within the current calendar year and the immediately preceding two calendar years.

(2) All precinct consolidations made within the current calendar year and the immediately preceding two calendar years, specifying the election or elections in which the consolidations were made.

(d) The information provided to persons pursuant to subdivision (c) shall include the precinct numbers before the change or alteration and then a description, including precinct numbers, of the changes or alterations. The description may include maps.

(e) The information described in subdivisions (c) and (d) shall be compiled for each calendar year and shall be kept and filed so as to be accessible to any person upon request.

(f) The elections official may charge a person requesting information the amount needed to reimburse the jurisdiction for the actual expenses incurred in providing copies of the information required under this section.

precinct boundaries election maps county surveyor support ...

Section § 12261

This law states that the boundaries for voting precincts in the general election should generally match those from the direct primary election. However, changes can be made if there are population shifts, if precincts have more than 1,000 voters, or if precinct boundaries need to adjust due to changes in jurisdiction boundaries or election consolidations. These changes also become applicable when precincts are merged.

This rule was set to be in effect starting January 1, 2005.

(a) The boundaries of precincts for the general election shall be the same as those established for the direct primary election, except to the extent necessary to add or subtract precincts as the result of population change or to divide precincts containing more than 1,000 voters or to change precinct boundaries due to jurisdictional boundary changes, or consolidations of elections. Changes of precinct boundaries may also be made when consolidating precincts.

(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.

precinct boundaries population change voter precincts ...

Section § 12262

If a boundary change in a voting area happens less than 125 days before an election, it won't affect that election. People living in the area with the recent boundary change will vote based on the old boundaries for that election.

Jurisdictional boundary changes occurring less than 125 days before an election shall not be effective for purposes of that election. Voters residing within an area affected by a boundary change, occurring within 125 days before an election, shall vote at the ensuing election in all respects as if a boundary change had not occurred.

jurisdictional boundary changes voter boundaries election rules ...