Title 52 — Voting and ElectionsRelease 119-73not60

§20701 Retention and Preservation of Records and Papers by Officers of Elections; Deposit with Custodian; Penalty for Violation

Title 52 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Voting Assistance and Election Administration › Chapter 207— FEDERAL ELECTION RECORDS › § 20701

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Keep for 22 months after any general, special, or primary election all papers about applications, registrations, poll-tax payments, and voting steps for elections involving President, Vice President, presidential electors, Congress members, or Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner. Records can be given to another officer or a state or Puerto Rico official who must keep them. Willful failure punishable by fine up to $1,000, jail up to 1 year, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 52, §20701

Voting and Elections — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Every officer of election shall retain and preserve, for a period of twenty-two months from the date of any general, special, or primary election of which candidates for the office of President, Vice President, presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, or Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are voted for, all records and papers which come into his possession relating to any application, registration, payment of poll tax, or other act requisite to voting in such election, except that, when required by law, such records and papers may be delivered to another officer of election and except that, if a State or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico designates a custodian to retain and preserve these records and papers at a specified place, then such records and papers may be deposited with such custodian, and the duty to retain and preserve any record or paper so deposited shall devolve upon such custodian. Any officer of election or custodian who willfully fails to comply with this section shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 1974 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

52 U.S.C. § 20701

Title 52 — Voting and Elections

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60