CHAPTER 3. Nomination Papers [8400. - 8409.]

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC 3.

in effect

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8400. Section 8400.

Nomination papers for a statewide office for which the candidate is to be nominated shall be signed by voters of the state equal to not less in number than 1 percent of the entire number of registered voters of the state at the time of the close of registration prior to the preceding general election. Nomination papers for an office, other than a statewide office, shall be signed by the voters of the area for which the candidate is to be nominated, not less in number than 3 percent of the entire number of registered voters in the area at the time of the close of registration prior to the preceding general election. Nomination papers for Representative in Congress, State Senator or Assembly Member, to be voted for at a special election to fill a vacancy, shall be signed by voters in the district not less in number than 500 or 1 percent of the entire vote cast in the area at the preceding general election, whichever is less, nor more than 1,000.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8401. Section 8401.

(a) Upon receiving the nomination paper if, from the examination of such pursuant to Section 8400, more than 500 signatures have been signed on the nomination paper petition, the elections official may use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 or 5 percent of the signatures, whichever is greater. (b) If the statistical sampling shows that the number of valid signatures is within 90 to 110 percent of the number of signatures of qualified voters needed to declare the nomination paper sufficient, the elections official shall examine and verify each signature filed. (c) In determining from the records of registration, what number of valid signatures are signed on the nomination paper, the elections official may check the signatures against facsimiles of voters’ signatures, provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles is permitted by law. (d) The elections official shall attach to the nomination paper, a certificate showing the result of this examination, and shall notify the candidate of either the sufficiency or insufficiency of the nomination paper. (e) If the nomination paper is found insufficient, no action shall be taken on the nomination paper. However, the failure to secure sufficient signatures, shall not preclude the submission later of an entirely new nomination paper to the same effect. (f) If the nomination paper is found to be sufficient, the elections official shall certify the results of the examination.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8402. Section 8402.

When a nomination paper or sections of a nomination paper have been received which contain the number of valid signatures required in Section 8400, the officer with whom those papers are required to be left shall not accept additional sections of the nomination paper for the candidate named in it.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8403. Section 8403.

(a) (1) Nomination papers shall be prepared, circulated, signed, and delivered to the county elections official for examination no earlier than 148 days before the election and no later than 5 p.m. 88 days before the election. (2) For offices for which no filing fee is required, nomination papers shall be prepared, circulated, signed, and delivered to the county elections official for examination no earlier than 193 days before the election and no later than 5 p.m. 88 days before the election. (b) All nomination documents that are required to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State shall, within 24 days after being left with the county elections official in compliance with paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a), be forwarded by the county elections official to the Secretary of State, who shall receive and file them. (c) If the total number of signatures submitted to a county elections official for an office entirely within that county does not equal the number of signatures needed to qualify the candidate, the county elections official shall declare the petition void and is not required to verify the signatures. If the district falls within two or more counties, the county elections official shall within two working days report in writing to the Secretary of State the total number of signatures submitted. (d) If the Secretary of State finds that the total number of signatures submitted in the district or state is less than the minimum number required to qualify the candidate he or she shall within one working day notify in writing the counties involved that they need not verify the signatures.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8404. Section 8404.

Each signer of a nomination paper shall sign but one paper for the same office, except that in case two or more persons are to be elected to the same office at the same election, an elector may sign the nomination papers of as many persons as there are persons to be elected to the office, and that act on the part of an elector shall not be deemed in conflict with the signer’s statement prescribed in this chapter. The signer shall state his or her place of residence, giving his or her street and number, if any.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8405. Section 8405.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if an independent candidate submits an in-lieu-filing-fee petition pursuant to Section 8106, the county elections official, upon the request of the candidate, shall accept all valid signatures appearing on the candidate’s in-lieu-filing-fee petition toward the number of signatures required to be submitted on an in-lieu-filing-fee petition and on a nomination paper. If the in-lieu-filing-fee petition does not contain the requisite number of signatures required under Section 8400, the candidate shall be entitled to file, within the time period allowed for filing nomination papers, a nomination paper in order to obtain the requisite number of valid signatures required to be submitted to the elections official pursuant to this chapter.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8406. Section 8406.

Any nomination paper may be presented in sections, but each section shall contain the name of the candidate and the name of the office for which the candidate is proposed for nomination. Each section shall bear the name of the county for which it is circulated.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8407. Section 8407.

The affidavit of any circulator obtaining signatures under this chapter shall be verified free of charge by any officer authorized to administer oaths.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8408. Section 8408.

A verified nomination paper is prima facie evidence that the signatures to it are genuine and that the persons signing it are voters unless it is otherwise proven by comparison of the signatures with the affidavits of registration in the office of the county elections official.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8409. Section 8409.

Each candidate or group of candidates shall submit a nomination paper that shall be substantially in the following form: County of _______. Nomination paper of ______, candidate for the office of _______. State of California County of ⎱ ⎰ ss. SIGNER’S STATEMENT I, undersigned, am a voter of the County of ______, State of California. I hereby nominate __________, who resides at No. ______, ________ Street, City of ________, County of ______, State of California, as a candidate for the office of _______ to be voted for at the election to be held on the ______ day of ______, 20___. I have not signed the nomination paper of any other candidate for the same office. Number Signature Printed Name Residence 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. etc. CIRCULATOR’S AFFIDAVIT I, ________, solemnly swear (or affirm) all of the following: 1. That I am 18 years of age or older. 2. That my residence address, including street and number, is . [If no street or number exists, a designation of my residence adequate to readily ascertain its location is .] 3. That I secured signatures in the County of ______ to the nomination paper of ________ as candidate for the office of ______; that the signatures were obtained between _______, 20__, and ________, 20__; that I saw all the signatures on this section of the nomination paper being signed and that, to the best of my information and belief, each signature is the genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be. (Signed) Circulator Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______ day of ______, 20__. (SEAL) Notary Public (or other official)

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026