Section § 12220

Explanation

This law requires an elections official to split their area into different precincts and create detailed maps or descriptions of these areas. They can make as many copies as needed. If the elections official asks for help, the county surveyor must assist with making these maps or descriptions.

The elections official shall divide the jurisdiction into precincts and prepare detail maps or exterior descriptions thereof, or both, and as many copies as the elections official may determine. The county surveyor, if requested by an elections official, shall provide assistance to the elections official in the preparation of these maps or exterior descriptions.

Section § 12221

Explanation

This law requires that when precincts are created, their boundaries must be clearly defined using descriptions or by outlining them on a map.

In any order establishing precincts, their boundaries shall be defined by reference to exterior descriptions or delineation thereof on a map or maps.

Section § 12222

Explanation

This law states that precincts, which are local voting areas, should not be split across different political or administrative boundaries. In simple terms, a precinct must stay within one district or city area. Additionally, if there aren't enough qualified people in a precinct to form a voting board, that precinct can be combined with a neighboring one.

(a)CA Elections Code § 12222(a) No precinct shall be established so that its boundary crosses the boundary of any supervisorial district, congressional district, senatorial district, Assembly district, board of equalization district, judicial district, incorporated city, ward, or city council district.
(b)CA Elections Code § 12222(b) If, at any election, any precinct contains an insufficient number of qualified persons to make up a precinct board, the precinct may be consolidated with an adjoining precinct.

Section § 12223

Explanation

This law is about organizing election precincts. It states that when setting up or changing a precinct, the total number of in-person voters should not exceed 1,000 by the 88th day before an election, unless another law says differently. Also, election officials can account for those who vote by mail. Specifically, they can subtract permanent vote-by-mail voters from the precinct total, as long as the remaining in-person voters don't exceed a calculated limit based on a percentage of non-mail voters in the area, multiplied by 1,000.

(a)CA Elections Code § 12223(a) Whenever a jurisdiction is divided into election precincts or whenever the boundary of an established precinct is changed or a new precinct is created, the precinct boundary shall be fixed in a manner so that the number of voters in the precinct does not exceed 1,000 on the 88th day prior to the day of election, unless otherwise provided by law.
(b)CA Elections Code § 12223(b) An elections official may subtract the number of permanent vote by mail voters, pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 3200) of Division 3, from the total number of voters for purposes of complying with subdivision (a) if after subtracting the number of permanent vote by mail voters, the number of voters in the precinct does not exceed the percentage of nonpermanent vote by mail voters in the jurisdiction on the 88th day prior to the election multiplied by 1,000, unless otherwise provided by law.

Section § 12224

Explanation

This law allows elections officials to divide voters in a precinct into two or more groups. Each group can have its own polling place, ballot box, and set of election results. However, this does not apply to elections that use vote centers, where the process might be different.

(a)CA Elections Code § 12224(a) At the discretion of the elections official, the voters of the precinct may be divided into two or more groups, as nearly equal as possible, and one precinct board appointed to serve each group. When the voters of a precinct are so divided, there may be one or more polling places and a ballot box for and a set of returns from each group.
(b)CA Elections Code § 12224(b) This section does not apply to elections conducted using vote centers.

Section § 12225

Explanation

If a voting area is entirely controlled by the U.S. and they don't allow polling places, then election officials don't have to set up voting in person. Instead, they must turn the area into a mail-only voting precinct if they give at least 88 days' notice before the election.

Whenever a precinct is entirely owned or controlled by the United States, and no permission is granted by the federal authorities for the establishment of precinct boards and polling places, precinct boards need not be appointed nor polling places designated, but in lieu thereof the elections official shall, not less than 88 days prior to election day, establish the precinct as a mail ballot precinct and conduct the election for that precinct in accordance with Section 3005.