Title ELEC, California Elec. Code

The Secretary of State shall issue certificates of nomination to candidates nominated for Representatives in Congress, Members of the State Senate and Assembly, members of the State Board of Equalization, and for all statewide offices. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Not less than 73 days, and not more than 90 days, before the general election, the Secretary of State shall notify each candidate for partisan office and voter-nominated office of the names, addresses, offices, ballot designations, and party preferences of all other persons whose…

Not less than 68 days before the general election, the Secretary of State shall deliver to the appropriate county elections official a certificate showing: (a) The name of every person entitled to receive votes within that county at the general election who has received the nomin…

The Secretary of State shall certify and transmit the list of candidates for each office according to Assembly districts, in the order of arrangement prescribed by Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 13100) of Division 13. In the case of each county containing more than one Assemb…

The certificate of the Secretary of State showing candidates nominated or selected at a primary election, and justices of the Supreme Court and courts of appeal to appear on the general elections ballot, shall be in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State. (Amended by Stats. …

At least 68 days before a presidential primary, the Secretary of State shall notify each steering committee whether or not it has qualified a candidate or uncommitted delegation for placement on the ballot pursuant to Section 6060. (Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 190, Sec. 21. (AB 1…

At least 68 days before a presidential primary election, the Secretary of State shall transmit to each county elections official a certified list containing the name of each candidate who is entitled to be voted for on the ballot at the presidential primary, and the name of each …

The Secretary of State shall, not later than the 32nd day after the election, compile and file in his or her office a statement of the canvassed returns filed with him or her by the county elections officials. The compiled statement shall show for each candidate and uncommitted d…

No fee shall be required of any person as a condition of receiving a certificate of selection as a delegate or an alternate. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a space shall be provided on the presidential primary ballot for a voter to write in the name of a candidate for nomination by the Democratic Party for President of the United States. (Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 190, Sec. 24. (AB 1689)…

Any person who believes his or her name may be used as a write-in candidate for nomination by the Democratic Party for President of the United States shall, not later than 21 days before the primary election, file for endorsement of his or her write-in candidacy with the Secretar…

This act shall be known as the Elections Code. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

(a) The Secretary of State is the chief elections officer of the state, and has the powers and duties specified in this code and Section 12172.5 of the Government Code. (b) (1) The Secretary of State shall make reasonable efforts to do all of the following: (A) Promote voter regi…

(a) There is established within the Secretary of State the Office of Elections Cybersecurity. (b) The primary missions of the Office of Elections Cybersecurity are both of the following: (1) To coordinate efforts between the Secretary of State and local elections officials to red…

The established election dates are as follows: (a) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each even-numbered year that is evenly divisible by four. (b) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each odd-numbered year. (c) The second Tuesday of April in ea…

Every person is entitled to vote at a local, special, or consolidated election who is registered in any one of the precincts which compose the local, special, or consolidated election precincts, in accordance with this code. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all statewide special elections shall be called, conducted, and canvassed as provided by this code for the calling, conducting, and canvassing of general elections. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

The governing body of any city or district may by resolution request the board of supervisors of the county to permit the county elections official to render specified services to the city or district relating to the conduct of an election. Subject to approval of the board of sup…

If the governing body of any special district fails to call or to take any other steps necessary to the holding of the regular district election at which any member or members of the governing body of the district are to be selected, the board of supervisors of the county in whic…

A local government shall not enact or enforce any charter provision, ordinance, or regulation requiring a person to present identification for the purpose of voting or submitting a ballot at any polling place, vote center, or other location where ballots are cast or submitted, un…

The following are statewide elections and their dates are statewide election dates: (a) An election held in November of an even-numbered year. (b) An election held in June of an even-numbered year that is not evenly divisible by four and in March of each even-numbered year that i…

Except as provided in Section 1003, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, all state, county, municipal, district, and school district elections shall be held on an established election date. (Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 1143, Sec. 19. Effective September 30, 1996.)

This chapter shall not apply to the following: (a) Any special election called by the Governor. (b) Elections held in chartered cities or chartered counties in which the charter provisions are inconsistent with this chapter. (c) School governing board elections consolidated pursu…

Whenever the county elections official is required to examine the signatures upon any nomination paper or petition of any candidate for a municipal office, he or she may employ necessary help for the examination. The cost shall be paid by the city. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 92…

This part shall apply to all municipal elections, except where otherwise provided for in the Constitution of the state, or in a charter duly adopted or amended pursuant to the Constitution of this state. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Section 13107, relating to ballot designations, shall apply to municipal elections, whether held in a general law or chartered city. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Part 3 (commencing with Section 8600) of Division 8 and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 15350) of Division 15, relating to write-in votes, shall apply to municipal elections held in general law cities. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

(a) Notwithstanding Section 15, if the last day for the performance of any act provided for or required by this code is a day when the elections official’s office is closed pursuant to a resolution or ordinance of the legislative body, the act may be performed upon the next busin…

The Governor shall call all statewide special elections by issuing a proclamation pursuant to Section 12000. Except as provided by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 10730), in the case of a vacancy in a congressional or legislative office the Governor shall issue a proclamation,…

(a) When a vacancy occurs in a congressional office after the close of the nomination period in the final year of the term of office, the Governor may decline to issue an election proclamation at his discretion. (b) When a vacancy occurs in a legislative office after the close of…

Except as provided by Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 10730), this chapter provides the procedures for nomination and election of candidates at any special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly. (Amende…

(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 126 days, but not more than 140 days, following the issuance of an elec…

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a special primary election shall be held in the district in which the vacancy occurred on the 9th Tuesday or, if the 9th Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the 10th Tuesday preceding the day of the special genera…

(a) All candidates shall be listed on one ballot and, except as provided in subdivision (b), if any candidate receives a majority of all votes cast, he or she shall be declared elected, and no special general election shall be held. (b) If only one candidate qualifies to have his…

If no candidate receives a majority of votes cast, the names of the candidates who receive the highest or second highest number of votes cast at the special primary election shall be placed on the special general election ballot. In the case of a tie vote, subdivision (b) of Sect…

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, whenever a special general election, or a special primary election, to fill a vacancy in Congress or the State Legislature is consolidated with a statewide election, the candidates to fill the vacancy shall appear on the consolid…

On written call of the Secretary of State, the county elections officials, city elections officials, and registrars of voters of this state may meet with the approval of their legislative bodies, at the time and place within this state designated in the call, to discuss matters a…

Whenever any candidate files a declaration of candidacy, nomination paper, or any other paper evidencing an intention to be a candidate for any public office at any election in this state with either the Secretary of State or a county elections official, the candidate shall by th…

For each statewide election, the Governor shall issue a proclamation calling the election. The proclamation shall be issued by the Governor under his or her hand and the Great Seal of the state no later than the 148th day prior to the election and shall state the time of the elec…

For a special local election, the governing body of the local agency shall issue a proclamation or a resolution calling the election. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

(a) A person shall not be considered a legally qualified candidate for an office, for party nomination for a partisan office, or for nomination to participate in the general election for a voter-nominated office, under the laws of this state unless that person has filed a declara…

(a) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 13, a person shall not be considered a legally qualified candidate for any of the offices set forth in subdivision (b) unless that person has filed all of the following with the proper official: (A) A declaration of candidacy, no…

The person in charge of elections for any county, city and county, city, or district shall provide ballots for any elections within his or her jurisdiction, and shall cause to be printed on them the name of every candidate whose name has been certified to or filed with the proper…

All expenses authorized and necessarily incurred in the preparation for, and conduct of, elections as provided in this code shall be paid from the county treasuries, except that when an election is called by the governing body of a city the expenses shall be paid from the treasur…

Ballot paper and ballot cards used by a jurisdiction holding an election pursuant to the laws of California shall be tinted and watermarked or overprinted with a design, to be furnished by the Secretary of State, so that the watermark or overprint is plainly discernible. (Amended…

(a) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations governing the manufacture, finishing, quality standards, distribution, and inventory control of ballot cards and ballot on demand systems. (b) A ballot printer shall not manufacture or finish ballot cards, or manufacture unfinish…