Cal. Elections Code § 18580

For the purposes of this article, the following definitions apply: (a) “Firearm” means a device designed to be used as a weapon, from which a projectile is expelled through a barrel by the force of an explosion or other form of combustion. It includes any firearm that is in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol, or other weapon in which the propelling force is a spring, an elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, or air or compressed air, or is ignited by compressed air, and that ejects a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter with sufficient force to injure a person that is so substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm or weapon as to lead a reasonable person to perceive that the device is a firearm or weapon. (b) “Imitation firearm” has the same meaning as in Section 16700 of the Penal Code. (c) “Law enforcement officer” has the same meaning as in Section 13519.05 of the Penal Code. (d) “Officer holding an election or conducting a canvass” has the same meaning as in Section 18502. (e) (1) “Open carry” has the same meaning as in Section 26350 of the Penal Code. (2) Notwithstanding Section 26350 of the Penal Code, this definition applies to any firearm or imitation firearm that is openly carried and applies to any firearm that is openly carried, regardless of whether the firearm is loaded. (f) “Voting” includes any action necessary to make a vote effective in a primary, special, or general election, including registration or other action required by law as a prerequisite to voting, casting a ballot by any method permitted by law, and having such ballot counted properly and included in the appropriate totals of votes cast with respect to a candidate or measure for which votes are received in an election.