California Elections Code §3017.  Absentee Ballots

(a) All absentee ballots cast under this division shall be voted on or before the day of the election. After marking the ballot, the absent voter shall either: (1) return the ballot by mail or in person to the elections official from whom it came or (2) return the ballot in person to any member of a precinct board at any polling place within the jurisdiction. However, an absent voter who, because of illness or other physical disability, is unable to return the ballot, may designate his or her spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, or a person residing in the same household as the absent voter to return the ballot to the elections official from whom it came or to the precinct board at any polling place within the jurisdiction. The ballot must, however, be received by either the elections official from whom it came or the precinct board before the close of the polls on election day.

(b) The elections official shall establish procedures to insure the secrecy of any ballot returned to a precinct polling place.

(c) The provisions of this section are mandatory, not directory, and no ballot shall be counted if it is not delivered in compliance with this section.

(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), no absent voter's ballot shall be returned by any paid or volunteer worker of any general purpose committee, controlled committee, independent expenditure committee, political party, candidate's campaign committee, or any other group or organization at whose behest the individual designated to return the ballot is performing a service. However, this subdivision shall not apply to a candidate or a candidate's spouse.

Updated by ADAMS KESSLER 6/30/2008