Primary election contest involving a recount (16101(e)): file affidavit within 5 days after completion of official canvass; mail copy same day
5 days after date the official canvass was completed, under Cal. Elec. Code 16462.
Rule text
No service other than as provided in this section need be made upon the defendant. The affidavit shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the superior court within five days after the completion of the official canvass. Upon the filing of the affidavit the county elections official shall forthwith post, in a conspicuous place in the official's office, a copy of the affidavit. Upon the filing of the affidavit and its posting, the superior court of the county shall have jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the parties to the contest. The contestant on the date of filing the affidavit shall send by certified mail a copy thereof to the defendant in a sealed envelope, with postage prepaid, addressed to the defendant at the place of residence named in the affidavit of registration of the defendant, and shall make and file an affidavit of mailing with the county elections official, which shall become a part of the records of the contest.
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date the official canvass was completed): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 5 calendar days: Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
- That day is a Veterans Day, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Thursday, November 12, 2026 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)).
Cal. Elec. Code 16462
No service other than as provided in this section need be made upon the defendant. The affidavit shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the superior court within five days after the completion of the official canvass. Upon the filing of the affidavit the county elections official shall forthwith post, in a conspicuous place in the official's office, a copy of the affidavit. Upon the filing of the affidavit and its posting, the superior court of the county shall have jurisdiction of the subject matter and of the parties to the contest. The contestant on the date of filing the affidavit shall send by certified mail a copy thereof to the defendant in a sealed envelope, with postage prepaid, addressed to the defendant at the place of residence named in the affidavit of registration of the defendant, and shall make and file an affidavit of mailing with the county elections official, which shall become a part of the records of the contest.Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a: "(a) If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays.(b) This section applies to Sections 659, 659a, and 921, and to all other provisions of law providing or requiring an act to be performed on a particular day or within a specified period of time, whether expressed in this or any other code or statute, ordinance, rule, or regulation." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135." Gov. Code 6800: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." Gov. Code 6804: "“Month” means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed." Gov. Code 6806: "A day is the period of time between any midnight and the midnight following." CRC 1.10(a): "The time in which any act provided by these rules is to be performed is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, and then it is also excluded." CRC 1.10(b): "Unless otherwise provided by law, if the last day for the performance of any act that is required by these rules to be performed within a specific period of time falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, the period is extended to and includes the next day that is not a holiday." Elec. Code 15: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the last day for the performance of any act provided for or required by this code shall be a holiday, as defined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed.For purposes of this section, the Friday in November immediately after Thanksgiving Day shall be considered a holiday."Official source
- Recount contests (mistake, error or misconduct in counting, 16460) are filed in the county where the precinct is located (16461; the task's reference to 16461 for hearing timing is a jurisdiction section; hearing timing is in 16540). Note the trigger differs from 16421 ('official canvass' of that county vs. 'the county last making the declaration'); AMBIGUITY for multi-county offices: use the earlier date. Certified mailing and affidavit of mailing are required on the filing date. Section amended Stats. 2025, ch. 304 (AB 1513), eff. Jan. 1, 2026. No appeal from a primary recount contest judgment (16940). Computation: Elec. Code 15 lets an act whose last day is a holiday (Gov. Code 6700 et seq., plus the Friday after Thanksgiving) be performed the next business day; CCP 12a also extends a last day falling on a Saturday, Sunday or judicial holiday. Election contest periods are strictly enforced; file by the unrolled date whenever possible.
- If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.
This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.
Worked example
Date the official canvass was completed on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, March 22, 2027.
- Trigger (Date the official canvass was completed): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 5 calendar days: Saturday, March 20, 2027.
- That day is a Saturday, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, March 22, 2027 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 10; Gov. Code 6800, 6804, 6806; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10 (for periods set by the Rules of Court)).
Notes
Recount contests (mistake, error or misconduct in counting, 16460) are filed in the county where the precinct is located (16461; the task's reference to 16461 for hearing timing is a jurisdiction section; hearing timing is in 16540). Note the trigger differs from 16421 ('official canvass' of that county vs. 'the county last making the declaration'); AMBIGUITY for multi-county offices: use the earlier date. Certified mailing and affidavit of mailing are required on the filing date. Section amended Stats. 2025, ch. 304 (AB 1513), eff. Jan. 1, 2026. No appeal from a primary recount contest judgment (16940). Computation: Elec. Code 15 lets an act whose last day is a holiday (Gov. Code 6700 et seq., plus the Friday after Thanksgiving) be performed the next business day; CCP 12a also extends a last day falling on a Saturday, Sunday or judicial holiday. Election contest periods are strictly enforced; file by the unrolled date whenever possible.
Related deadlines
- General election contest on bribery / offense-against-franchise grounds (Elec. Code 16100(c)): statement of contest within 6 months (6 months after)
- General election contest in case of a tie: statement of contest within 20 days (20 days after)
- Contest involving presidential electors: statement of contest within 10 days (10 days after)
- General election contest on all other grounds: statement of contest within 30 days (30 days after)
- Primary election contest (Elec. Code 16101): file affidavit within 5 days after completion of official canvass (5 days after)
- Primary contest (other than recount): defendant's answer and cross-contest affidavit within 5 days after receipt of affidavit (5 days after)
- Primary recount contest: defendant's affidavit designating additional precincts (within 3 days after contestant files affidavit of mailing) (3 days after)
- Primary recount contest: defendant's answer within 3 days from the time set for hearing (3 days after)
Local rules by county
County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.