ARTICLE 2. Nomination Documents [8020. - 8028.]

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC 2.

in effect

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8020. Section 8020.

(a) A candidate’s name shall not be printed on the ballot to be used at the direct primary unless the following nomination documents are delivered for filing to the county elections official: (1) Declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8040. (2) Nomination papers signed by signers pursuant to Section 8041. (3) Proper qualification documentation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13.5, if applicable. (b) The forms shall first be available on the 113th day prior to the direct primary election, or on the 158th day prior to the primary election for a candidate for membership on a county central committee, and shall be delivered to the county for which the nomination documents were circulated not later than 5 p.m. on the 88th day prior to the primary election. The forms may be delivered to the county elections official by a person other than the candidate. (c) Upon the receipt of an executed nomination document, the county elections official shall give the person delivering the document a receipt, properly dated, indicating that the document was delivered to the county elections official. (d) Notwithstanding Section 8028, upon request of a candidate, the county elections official shall provide the candidate with a declaration of candidacy. The county elections official shall not require a candidate to sign, file, or sign and file, a declaration of candidacy as a condition of receiving nomination papers.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8020.5. Section 8020.5.

(a) A candidate may withdraw nomination documents for any office other than a statewide office that the candidate delivered for filing to the county elections official by delivering a statement of withdrawal to the county elections official. The statement may be delivered to the county elections official by a person other than the candidate. If the statement is not executed by the candidate in the office of the elections official, the candidate shall execute the statement before a notary public appointed by the Secretary of State or other state official. The statement shall be signed by the candidate under penalty of perjury, and shall include all of the following: (1) Identification of the office for which the candidate previously delivered nomination documents for filing to the county elections official. (2) A statement that the candidate irrevocably withdraws those nomination documents. (3) A statement that the candidate understands that by withdrawing the nomination documents, the candidate will not appear on the ballot as a candidate for that office. (4) A statement that the candidate understands that they will not receive a refund of any filing fees that the candidate paid in connection with the candidacy for that office pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 8105 of the Elections Code. (b) A candidate shall have until 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the primary election to withdraw nomination documents, except that if the extended period for filing nomination documents specified in Section 8022 or Section 8024 applies for a particular office, a candidate shall have until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before the primary election to withdraw nomination documents for that office. (c) A candidate who withdraws nomination documents pursuant to this section may, during the applicable filing period, file nomination documents for any other office at the same primary election for which the person is eligible to be a candidate, except the office for which the person withdrew their nomination documents. This subdivision shall not be construed to extend any deadline for filing nomination documents. (d) If a candidate withdraws their nomination documents and does not subsequently qualify as a candidate for another office at the same primary election, the candidate’s name shall not appear on the ballot for any office at that election. (e) If a candidate delivers a statement of withdrawal to a county elections official pursuant to this section, and the office to which the statement applies is one for which nomination documents are required to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 8100, the county elections official shall do all of the following: (1) Immediately upon receipt, electronically send a copy of the statement to the Secretary of State. (2) If the office to which the statement applies is to be voted on in more than one county, immediately upon receipt electronically send a copy of the statement to the elections official in each other affected county. (3) Within five days of receipt of the statement, forward the original statement to the Secretary of State. (f) For purposes of this section, “statewide office” means the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Controller, Insurance Commissioner, Secretary of State, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Treasurer, or Member of the United States Senate.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8021. Section 8021.

All nomination documents which are delivered for filing to the elections official in compliance with Section 8020 and that are not required by this chapter to be filed in the office of the Secretary of State shall be filed with the elections official by the 83rd day before the primary election.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8022. Section 8022.

Notwithstanding Section 8020 or any other provision of the law, if nomination documents for an incumbent state Senator, Member of the Assembly, state constitutional officer, Insurance Commissioner, Member of the United States House of Representatives, or United States Senator are not delivered by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the direct primary election, or are delivered but then are withdrawn before 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the direct primary election, any person other than the person who was the incumbent on the 88th day shall have until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before the election to file nomination documents for the elective office. However, if the incumbent’s failure to file nomination documents is because the incumbent has already served the maximum number of terms permitted by the California Constitution for that office, there shall be no extension of the period for filing the nomination documents.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8023. Section 8023.

(a) Except in the case of a judicial office filled in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 16 of Article VI of the Constitution, every candidate for a judicial office, not more than 14 nor less than five days prior to the first day on which his or her nomination papers may be circulated and signed or may be presented for filing, shall file in the office of the elections official in which his or her nomination papers are required to be filed, a written and signed declaration of his or her intention to become a candidate for that office on a form to be supplied by the elections official. A candidate for a numerically designated judicial office shall state in his or her declaration for which office he or she intends to become a candidate. (b) No person may be a candidate nor have his or her name printed on any ballot as a candidate for judicial office unless he or she has filed the declaration of intention provided for in this section. If the incumbent of a judicial office fails to file a declaration of intention by the end of the period specified in subdivision (a), persons other than the incumbent may file declarations of intention no later than the first day for filing nomination papers. (c) Declarations shall be in substantially the following form: “I hereby declare my intention to become a candidate for the office of____(name of office and district, if any) at the ____, 2____ election.” No candidate for a judicial office shall be required to state his or her residential address on the declaration of intention. However, if the address is not stated on the declaration of intention, the address must be provided to the elections official for verification. (d) This section shall apply to all judicial offices whether numerically designated or not.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8024. Section 8024.

Notwithstanding Section 8020 or any other provision of the law, if nomination documents for an incumbent officer of a county are not delivered by 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the direct primary election, or are delivered but then are withdrawn before 5 p.m. on the 88th day before the direct primary election, any person other than the person who was the incumbent on the 88th day shall have until 5 p.m. on the 83rd day before the election to file nomination documents for the elective office. This section is not applicable where there is no incumbent eligible to be elected.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8025. Section 8025.

If a candidate who has declared a candidacy for a nomination at the direct primary election for a voter-nominated office dies after the last day prescribed for the delivery of nomination documents to the elections official, as provided in Section 8020, but not less than 83 days before the election, any person, regardless of his or her party preference or lack of party preference, may circulate and deliver nomination documents for the office to the elections official up to 5 p.m. on the 74th day prior to the election. In that case, the elections official shall, immediately after receipt of those nomination documents, certify and transmit them to the Secretary of State in the manner specified in this article.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8026. Section 8026.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except for an election for a judicial office, an election shall not be conducted and no votes cast for the office shall be counted, and if counted the votes shall be null and void, if an incumbent is a candidate for a nonpartisan statewide, countywide, or citywide office, or for a nonpartisan office that is elected by division, area, or district, which he or she currently holds at an election at which only one other candidate, excluding any write-in candidates, has qualified to have his or her name placed on the ballot for that office, and either the challenger or the incumbent dies after the hour of 12:01 a.m. of the 68th day before the election. (b) A special election shall be called and held when the death of the challenger or the incumbent occurs within the period set in subdivision (a). The special election shall be called by the appropriate governing body within 14 days after the death of the incumbent or challenger. The special election shall be held no later than 88 days after the proclamation or resolution calling for the election. Candidates at the special election shall be nominated in accordance with this part, except that forms for securing signatures in lieu of a filing fee need not be made available until 15 days before the first day for circulating nomination papers, in-lieu-filing-fee petitions shall be filed at least seven days prior to the closing of the nomination period, nomination papers shall be delivered for filing to the elections official not less than 68 days and not more than 87 days before the special election, any candidate’s statement shall be filed with the clerk no later than the 68th day before the special election, and the Secretary of State shall conduct the randomized alphabet drawing under procedures similar to Sections 13112 and 13113 on the 67th day before the special election. Any candidate who paid a filing fee in connection with the previously scheduled election shall not be required to pay any additional filing fee, but shall be required to file new nomination papers. (c) The Secretary of State or elections official shall take appropriate action to ensure that voters do not erroneously vote in a canceled election. (d) This section applies to a primary election. If a candidate in a runoff election dies under the circumstances prescribed in subdivision (a), Section 15402 applies to govern the results of that election.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8027. Section 8027.

(a) Filing of nomination papers for a nonpartisan office, except for a judicial office, shall be reopened when an incumbent who is a candidate for a nonpartisan statewide, countywide, or citywide office, or for a nonpartisan office that is elected by division, area, or district which he or she currently holds at an election at which only one other candidate, excluding any write-in candidates, has qualified to have his or her name placed on the ballot for that office and either the challenger or the incumbent dies after the 88th day but before the 68th day before the election. (b) Any person qualified to be a candidate for the office for which either the deceased challenger or the deceased incumbent was a candidate may circulate and deliver nomination papers commencing the day after the death of either the challenger or the incumbent. Candidates shall be nominated in accordance with this part, except that in-lieu-filing-fee petitions shall not be made available and nomination papers shall be returned to the elections official no later than 5 p.m. on the 68th day before the election.

Cal. Elections Code - ELEC § 8028. Section 8028.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a candidate shall not remove a declaration of candidacy form from the office of the elections official, and the elections official shall require all candidates filing a declaration of candidacy to execute the declaration in the office of the elections official. (b) A candidate may, in a written statement signed and dated by the candidate, designate a person to receive a declaration of candidacy form from the elections official and deliver it to the candidate. The statement shall include language indicating that the candidate is aware that the declaration of candidacy must be properly executed and delivered to the elections official of the county of the candidate’s residence by the 88th day prior to the direct primary election. That statement shall be retained by the elections official.

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