§ 18577

(a) Any person having charge of a completed vote by mail ballot who willfully interferes or causes interference with its return to the local elections official having jurisdiction over the election is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.

(b) Any person having charge of a vote by mail ballot who willfully interferes or causes interference with its delivery to a voter is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.

(c) Any person with authority who directs one or more other persons subject to their supervision or authority to engage in the conduct prohibited by subdivision (a) or (b) is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years.

(d) For purposes of this section, “interference” includes, but is not limited to, providing unauthorized access to, breaking the chain of custody for, or tampering with a vote by mail ballot, or, having been designated to return a ballot under Section 3017, failing to return that ballot to the applicable elections official.

(Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 331, Sec. 1. (SB 259) Effective September 19, 2026.)