How HOA Ballots Are Counted in California
Last reviewed November 2, 2026 by the HOA Elections of California inspector team
In a California HOA election, the inspector of elections or the inspector's designee counts the ballots in public, at a properly noticed open meeting of the board or of the members. Any candidate and any member can watch. Nobody may open or review a ballot before that meeting, and the board must give general notice of the results within 15 days of the election. The rules are in Civil Code section 5120.
Who counts the ballots
The inspector of elections, or the inspector's designee, counts and tabulates the votes. The board does not, and neither does the manager. The inspector also decides when the polls close and determines the tabulated result. More detail is on our page about what a California inspector of elections does.
What can happen before the count
Almost nothing. No one may open or otherwise review any ballot before the count meeting, and no one may review the tally sheet of electronic votes before it either. The statute names members and employees of the management company explicitly.
The only handling allowed beforehand is the inspector verifying the member information and signature on the outer envelope. Once the inspector receives a secret ballot, it is irrevocable, so a member cannot take it back or swap it. Our page on how the HOA secret ballot works explains the double envelope.
What happens at the count meeting
The count has to take place at a properly noticed open meeting of the board or of the members. Any candidate and any member of the association may witness it. Watching is a right, but the inspector still runs the count.
Where the governing documents require a quorum, every ballot the inspector receives counts as a member present. If quorum is not reached, see what happens when an election fails to reach quorum. Where the association has adopted electronic voting, electronic votes are part of the same tabulation. See the electronic voting rules.
How the results are reported
Results go promptly to the board, are recorded in the minutes of the next board meeting, and are available for members to review. The board must also give general notice of the tabulated results within 15 days of the election.
What happens to the ballots afterward
Under Civil Code section 5125, the sealed ballots, signed voter envelopes, voter list, proxies, candidate registration list and tally sheet of electronic votes stay in the inspector's custody, or at a location the inspector designates, until after tabulation and until the time allowed by Section 5145 for challenging the election has expired. Only then does custody transfer to the association.
Can members ask for a recount?
If there is a recount or any other challenge to the election process, the inspector must, on written request, make the ballots and the tally sheet available for inspection and review by a member or the member's authorized representative. Any recount must preserve the confidentiality of the vote. If you think something went wrong, see how to challenge an HOA election result.
Planning your next election? We are an independent third-party inspector of elections for California homeowners associations, and we handle the count from ballot receipt to the final tally.
Request a proposal or see our HOA election and voting services.
Related reading
- The complete guide to California HOA elections, every step in date order
- Davis-Stirling and HOA elections, a section-by-section walkthrough of Civil Code 5100 to 5145
- HOA election FAQ, short answers with the statute behind each one
Official sources
- Civil Code 5120: counting and reporting the result
- Civil Code 5125: custody of ballots
- Civil Code 5145: enforcement
This page is general information about California law and is not legal advice. Requirements can turn on the wording of your governing documents, and associations should confirm their obligations with their own counsel.