52 USC § 20702 - Theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of records or papers; penalties

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t52/s20702"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "52 USC § 20702 - Theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of records or papers; penalties"
title_number: 52
title_name: "VOTING AND ELECTIONS"
section_number: "20702"
section_name: "Theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of records or papers; penalties"
chapter_number: 207
chapter_name: "FEDERAL ELECTION RECORDS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 86–449, title III, § 302, May 6, 1960, 74 Stat. 88.)"
---


# § 20702. Theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of records or papers; penalties

section 20701 of this title

Any person, whether or not an officer of election or custodian, who willfully steals, destroys, conceals, mutilates, or alters any record or paper required by  to be retained and preserved shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 86–449, title III, § 302, May 6, 1960, 74 Stat. 88.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to , The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.