California Code, Elections Code - ELEC § 15620

(a) Following completion of the official canvass, any voter may, within five days thereafter but not later than 5 p.m. on the fifth day, file with the elections official responsible for conducting an election in the county wherein the recount is sought a written request for a recount of the votes cast for candidates for any office, for slates of presidential electors, or for or against any measure, if the office, slate, or measure is not voted on statewide. The request shall specify on behalf of which candidate, slate of electors, or position on a measure (affirmative or negative) it is filed.

(b) If an election is conducted in more than one county, the request for the recount may be filed by any voter within five days but not later than 5 p.m. on the fifth day, beginning on the 31st day after the election, with the elections official of, and the recount may be conducted within, any or all of the affected counties.

(c) For the purposes of this section, “completion of the official canvass” shall be presumed to be that time when the elections official signs the certified statement of the results of the election except that, in the case of a city election, if a city council canvasses the returns itself and does not order the elections official to conduct the canvass, “completion of the official canvass” shall be presumed to be that time when the governing body declares the persons elected or the measures approved or defeated.