California Code, Elections Code - ELEC § 17303

(a) The following provisions apply to those elections in which candidates for one or more of the following offices are voted upon:  President, Vice President, United States Senator, and United States Representative.

(b) The elections official shall preserve the package or packages containing the following items for a period of 22 months:

(c) All voters may inspect the contents of the package or packages at all times following commencement of the official canvass of the votes.

(d) If a contest is not commenced within the 22-month period, or if a criminal prosecution involving fraudulent use, marking, or falsification of ballots, or forgery of vote by mail voters' signatures is not commenced within the 22-month period, either of which may involve the vote of the precinct from which voted ballots were received, the elections official may have the packages destroyed or recycled.