citation: ELEC § 13105

text:
(a) In the case of a candidate for a voter-nominated office in a primary election, a general election, or a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of United States Senator, Member of the United States House of Representatives, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly, immediately to the right of and following the name of the candidate, or immediately below the name if there is not sufficient space on the same line to the right of the name, there shall be identified in at least 8-point type, as specified by the Secretary of State, the designation made by the candidate pursuant to Section 8002.5. The identification shall be in substantially the following form:

(1) In the case of a candidate who designated a political party preference pursuant to Section 8002.5, “Party Preference: ______.”

(2) In the case of a candidate who did not state a preference for a political party pursuant to Section 8002.5, “Party Preference: None.”

(b) In the case of candidates for President and Vice President, the name of the party shall appear to the right of and equidistant from the pair of names of these candidates and on the same line as the name of the candidate for President, or immediately below the name of the vice presidential candidate if there is not sufficient space to the right of the name.

(c) If for a general election any candidate for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States has received the nomination of any additional party or parties, the name(s) shall be printed to the right of the name of the candidate’s own party, or immediately below the name if there is not sufficient space to the right of the name. Party names of a candidate shall be separated by commas. If a candidate has qualified for the ballot by virtue of an independent nomination, the word “Independent” shall be printed instead of the name of a political party in accordance with the above rules.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 14. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)


kind: section

code: ELEC

citation: ELEC § 13106

text: No title or degree shall appear on the same line on a ballot as a candidate’s name, either before or after the candidate’s name, in the case of any election to any office.

history: (History: Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

chapter: 2. Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 2. Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order


citation: ELEC § 13107

text:
(a) With the exception of candidates for Justice of the State Supreme Court or court of appeal, immediately under the name of each candidate, and not separated from the name by any line, unless the designation made by the candidate pursuant to Section 8002.5 must be listed immediately below the name of the candidate pursuant to Section 13105, and in that case immediately under the designation, may appear at the option of the candidate only one of the following designations:

(1) Words designating the elective city, county, district, state, or federal office which the candidate holds at the time of filing the nomination documents to which the candidate was elected by vote of the people.

(2) The word “incumbent” if the candidate is a candidate for the same office which the candidate holds at the time of filing the nomination papers, and was elected to that office by a vote of the people. A candidate shall not use the word “incumbent” if the candidate was elected to their office in an at-large election and is a candidate in a district-based election.

(3) No more than three words designating either the current principal professions, vocations, or occupations of the candidate, or the principal professions, vocations, or occupations of the candidate during the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of nomination documents.

(4) The phrase “appointed incumbent” if the candidate holds an office by virtue of appointment, and the candidate is a candidate for election to the same office, or, if the candidate is a candidate for election to the same office or to some other office, the word “appointed” and the title of the office. In either instance, the candidate may not use the unmodified word “incumbent” or any words designating the office unmodified by the word “appointed.” However, the phrase “appointed incumbent” shall not be required of a candidate who seeks reelection to an office which the candidate holds and to which the candidate was appointed, as a nominated candidate, in lieu of an election, pursuant to Sections 5326 and 5328 of the Education Code or Section 7228, 7423, 7673, 10229, or 10515 of this code.

(b) (1) Except as specified in paragraph (2), for candidates for judicial office, immediately under the name of each candidate, and not separated from the name by any line, only one of the following designations may appear at the option of the candidate:

(A) Words designating the city, county, district, state, or federal office held by the candidate at the time of filing the nomination documents.

(B) The word “incumbent” if the candidate is a candidate for the same office that the candidate holds at the time of filing the nomination papers.

(C) No more than three words designating either the current principal professions, vocations, or occupations of the candidate, or the principal professions, vocations, or occupations of the candidate during the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of nomination documents.

(2) For a candidate for judicial office who is an active member of the State Bar employed by a city, county, district, state, or by the United States, the designation shall appear as one of the following:

(A) Words designating the actual job title, as defined by statute, charter, or other governing instrument.

(B) One of the following ballot designations: “Attorney,” “Attorney at Law,” “Lawyer,” or “Counselor at Law.” The designations “Attorney” and “Lawyer” may be used in combination with one other current principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate, or the principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate during the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of nomination documents.

(3) A designation made pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) shall also contain relevant qualifiers, as follows:

(A) If the candidate is an official or employee of a city, the name of the city shall appear preceded by the words “City of.”

(B) If the candidate is an official or employee of a county, the name of the county shall appear preceded by the words “County of.”

(C) If the candidate is an official or employee of a city and county, the name of the city and county shall appear preceded by the words “City and County.”

(D) If the candidate performs quasi-judicial functions for a governmental agency, the full name of the agency shall be included.

(c) A candidate for superior court judge who is an active member of the State Bar and practices law as one of the candidate’s principal professions shall use one of the following ballot designations as the candidate’s ballot designation: “Attorney,” “Attorney at Law,” “Lawyer,” or “Counselor at Law.” The designations “Attorney” and “Lawyer” may be used in combination with one other current principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate, or the principal profession, vocation, or occupation of the candidate during the calendar year immediately preceding the filing of nomination documents.

(d) For purposes of this section, all California geographical names shall be considered to be one word. Hyphenated words that appear in any generally available standard reference dictionary, published in the United States at any time within the 10 calendar years immediately preceding the election for which the words are counted, including a generally available standard reference dictionary published online, shall be considered as one word. Each part of all other hyphenated words shall be counted as a separate word.

(e) The Secretary of State and any other elections official shall not accept a designation of which any of the following would be true:

(1) It would mislead the voter.

(2) It would suggest an evaluation of a candidate, such as outstanding, leading, expert, virtuous, or eminent.

(3) It abbreviates the word “retired” or places it following any word or words which it modifies.

(4) It uses a word or prefix, such as “former” or “ex-,” which means a prior status. The only exception is the use of the word “retired.”

(5) It uses the name of any political party, whether or not it has qualified for the ballot.

(6) It uses a word or words referring to a racial, religious, or ethnic group.

(7) It refers to any activity prohibited by law.

(f) If, upon checking the nomination documents and the ballot designation worksheet described in Section 13107.3, the elections official finds the designation to be in violation of any of the restrictions set forth in this section, the elections official shall notify the candidate by registered or certified mail return receipt requested, addressed to the mailing address provided on the candidate’s ballot designation worksheet.

(1) The candidate shall, within three days, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and state holidays, from the date the candidate receives notice by registered or certified mail, or from the date the candidate receives actual notice of the violation, whichever occurs first, appear before the elections official or, in the case of the Secretary of State, notify the Secretary of State by telephone, and provide a designation that complies with subdivision (a) or (b).

(2) If a candidate fails to provide a designation that complies with subdivision (a) or (b) within the three-day period specified in paragraph (1), a designation shall not appear after the candidate’s name.

(g) A designation given by a candidate shall not be changed by the candidate after the final date for filing nomination documents, except as specifically requested by the elections official as specified in subdivision (f) or as provided in subdivision (h). The elections official shall maintain a copy of the ballot designation worksheet for each candidate that appears on the ballot in the county for the same period of time as applied to nomination documents pursuant to Section 17100.

(h) The designation shall remain the same for all purposes of both primary and general elections, unless the candidate, at least 98 days before the general election, requests in writing a different designation which the candidate is entitled to use at the time of the request.

(i) In all cases, the words so used shall be printed in a manner consistent with the space requirements of Sections 13207 and 13211.

(j) If a foreign language translation of a candidate’s designation is required under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10101 et seq.), as amended, to appear on the ballot in addition to the English language version, it shall be as short as possible, as consistent as is practicable with this section, and shall employ abbreviations and initials wherever possible in order to avoid undue length.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 479, Sec. 9. (AB 1762) Effective January 1, 2024.)

division: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS


text:
(a) A candidate who submits a ballot designation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13107 shall file a ballot designation worksheet that supports the use of that ballot designation by the candidate, in a format prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(b) The ballot designation worksheet shall be filed with the elections official at the same time that the candidate files his or her declaration of candidacy.

(c) In the event that a candidate fails to file a ballot designation worksheet in accordance with subdivision (a), no designation shall appear under the candidate’s name on the ballot.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 547, Sec. 3. (AB 1572) Effective January 1, 2010.)


text:
(a) A candidate’s ballot designation as “community volunteer” shall constitute a valid principal vocation or occupation for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 13107, if not otherwise in violation of any of the restrictions set forth in that section, and subject to the following conditions:

(1) A candidate’s community volunteer activities constitute his or her principal profession, vocation, or occupation.

(2) A candidate is not engaged concurrently in another principal profession, vocation, or occupation.

(3) A candidate may not use the designation of “community volunteer” in combination with any other principal profession, vocation, or occupation designation.

(b) The Secretary of State shall by regulation define what constitutes a community volunteer for purposes of this section.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 364, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.)


citation: ELEC § 13108

text:
(a) At the first elections for Representative in Congress, State Senator, Member of the Assembly, and Member of the Board of Equalization in each congressional, senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization district following the adjustment of the boundary lines of the congressional, senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts by the Citizens Redistricting Commission pursuant to Section 6 of Article IV, Section 17 of Article XIII, and Section 1 of Article XXI, of the California Constitution, that candidate who shall be deemed the incumbent in a given district for purposes of the election shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical boundaries and number as the district from which he or she was last elected.

(b) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a) applies, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical boundaries as the district from which he or she was last elected, but that has a different number.

(c) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a) or (b) apply, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that contains some portion of the territory previously contained within the district from which he or she was last elected. However, in a new district that contains portions of the territory of more than one former district, the incumbent shall be that candidate the greater portion of the population, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, of whose former district is included within the new district.

(d) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a), (b), or (c) apply, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical number as the district from which he or she was last elected. However, a candidate for the office of Member of the Assembly shall be considered the incumbent in this case only if the district bearing the same number is located in the same county as the district that previously bore that number.

(e) If there is no candidate in a given district to which any of the above provisions apply, the incumbent shall be the person who is a candidate for the same office that he or she then holds who fulfills the residency requirements of law for candidacy within the district.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 887, Sec. 1. (AB 1752) Effective January 1, 2015.)


citation: ELEC § 13109

text:
The order of precedence of offices on the ballot shall be as listed below for those offices and measures that apply to the election for which this ballot is provided. Beginning in the column to the left:

(a) Under the heading, PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT:

Nominees of the qualified political parties and independent nominees for President and Vice President.

(b) Under the heading, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

(1) Names of the presidential candidates to whom the delegates are pledged.

(2) Names of the chairpersons of unpledged delegations.

(c) Under the heading, STATE:

(1) Governor.

(2) Lieutenant Governor.

(3) Secretary of State.

(4) Controller.

(5) Treasurer.

(6) Attorney General.

(7) Insurance Commissioner.

(8) Member, State Board of Equalization.

(d) Under the heading, UNITED STATES SENATOR:

Candidates or nominees to the United States Senate.

(e) Under the heading, UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE:

Candidates or nominees to the House of Representatives of the United States.

(f) Under the heading, STATE SENATOR:

Candidates or nominees to the State Senate.

(g) Under the heading, MEMBER OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY:

Candidates or nominees to the Assembly.

(h) Under the heading, COUNTY COMMITTEE:

Members of the County Central Committee.

(i) Under the heading, JUDICIAL:

(1) Chief Justice of California.

(2) Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

(3) Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal.

(4) Associate Justice, Court of Appeal.

(5) Judge of the Superior Court.

(6) Marshal.

(j) Under the heading, SCHOOL:

(1) Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(2) County Superintendent of Schools.

(3) County Board of Education Members.

(4) College District Governing Board Members.

(5) Unified District Governing Board Members.

(6) High School District Governing Board Members.

(7) Elementary District Governing Board Members.

(k) Under the heading, COUNTY:

(1) County Supervisor.

(2) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.

(l) Under the heading, CITY:

(1) Mayor.

(2) Member, City Council.

(3) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.

(m) Under the heading, DISTRICT:

Directors or trustees for each district in alphabetical order according to the name of the district.

(n) Under the heading, MEASURES SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS and the appropriate heading from subdivisions (a) through (m), above, ballot measures in the order, state through district shown above, and within each jurisdiction, in the order prescribed by the official certifying them for the ballot.

(o) In order to allow for the most efficient use of space on the ballot in counties that use a voting system, as defined in Section 362, the county elections official may vary the order of subdivisions (j), (k), (l), (m), and (n) as well as the order of offices within these subdivisions. However, the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction shall always precede any school, county, or city office, and state measures shall always precede local measures.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 99. Effective January 1, 2003.)


text: Notwithstanding anything in Section 13109 to the contrary, and to facilitate compliance with Section 13206, the elections official may list the offices specified in subdivision (h) of Section 13109 directly after the offices specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 13109, when the offices specified in those subsections are on the ballot, or at the end of the ballot in elections at which the offices specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 13109 are not listed on the ballot.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 1, Sec. 47. (SB 6) Effective January 1, 2010. Operative January 1, 2011, pursuant to Sec. 67 of Ch. 1.)


text:
(a) (1) Notwithstanding Section 13109, for a period of three years commencing with the date that the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles declares that the voting system modernization project underway in 2018 is complete and ready for operation, the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles shall conduct elections using the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8.

(2) When a special election to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate is consolidated with the regularly scheduled election for that office for the term following the term in which the vacancy occurred, the County of Los Angeles shall conduct elections using the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.10.

(b) The county elections official shall prepare a report regarding the effect of using the alternate ballot order for elections conducted during the time period described in subdivision (a). The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

(1) Statistics and information on the cost of transitioning to the use of the alternate ballot order.

(2) The overall turnout of voters in the jurisdiction for each election conducted using the alternate ballot order.

(3) For different contests listed on the ballot, including, but not limited to, local offices and local ballot measures, state offices and state ballot measures, and federal offices, the following information:

(A) The turnout of voters for each contest.

(B) The number of overvotes and undervotes for each contest.

(C) The dropoff rates for each contest.

(4) Legislative recommendations.

(c) The report described in subdivision (b) shall, whenever possible, compare an election conducted pursuant to this section and using the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8 to similar elections conducted using the ballot order described in Section 13109 in the same jurisdiction or in a comparable jurisdiction.

(d) Three years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a), the county elections official shall submit the report described in subdivision (b) to the Secretary of State and to the Legislature in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The county elections official shall also post a publicly accessible copy of the report on the internet website of the county elections official.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law, the county elections official may adjust ballot instructions to the extent necessary to comply with this section.

(f) Immediately after making the declaration described in subdivision (a), the county elections official shall post the declaration on the county election official’s internet website and send the declaration to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, and the Legislative Counsel.

(g) This section shall remain in effect only until the first January 1 that occurs at least four years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a), and as of that date is repealed.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 316, Sec. 2. (AB 1495) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed on date prescribed by its own provisions.)


text:
For the purposes of Sections 13109.7 and 13109.9, the order of precedence of offices on the ballot shall be as listed below for those offices and measures that apply to the election for which the ballot is provided. Beginning in the column to the left:

(a) Under the heading, CITY/LOCAL:

(1) Mayor.

(2) Member, City Council.

(3) Unified School District Board Members.

(4) High School District Board Members.

(5) Elementary School District Board Members.

(6) College District Governing Board Members.

(7) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.

(8) Candidates or nominees to the State Senate.

(9) Candidates or nominees to the State Assembly.

(10) Candidates or nominees to the House of Representatives of the United States.

(11) City local initiatives and ballot measures.

(12) Local school district initiatives and ballot measures.

(b) Under the heading, DISTRICT:

(1) Directors or trustees for each district in alphabetical order according to the name of the district.

(2) District initiatives and ballot measures.

(c) Under the heading, COUNTY:

(1) County Supervisor.

(2) Sheriff.

(3) Assessor.

(4) County Superintendent of Schools.

(5) County Board of Education.

(6) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.

(7) Judge of the Superior Court.

(8) County Marshall.

(9) Members of the County Central Committee.

(10) County initiatives and ballot measures.

(d) Under the heading, STATE:

(1) Governor.

(2) Lieutenant Governor.

(3) Secretary of State.

(4) Controller.

(5) Treasurer.

(6) Attorney General.

(7) Insurance Commissioner.

(8) Member, State Board of Equalization.

(9) Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(10) Statewide initiatives and ballot measures.

(e) Under the heading, STATE JUDICIAL:

(1) Chief Justice of California.

(2) Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

(3) Presiding Judge, Court of Appeal.

(4) Associate Justice, Court of Appeal.

(f) Under the heading, NATIONAL ELECTION:

(1) Under the subheading, PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT:

(A) Nominees of the qualified political parties and independent nominees for President and Vice President.

(B) Names of the presidential candidates to whom the delegates are pledged.

(C) Names of the chairperson of unpledged delegations.

(2) Candidates or nominees to the United States Senate.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 927, Sec. 2. (SB 25) Effective January 1, 2019.)


text: Notwithstanding Section 13109, the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles may use the alternate ballot order described in Sections 13109.8 and 13109.10 for elections conducted after the completion of the pilot project described in Section 13109.7. Notwithstanding any other law, the county elections official may adjust ballot instructions to the extent necessary to conform to the alternate ballot order.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 316, Sec. 3. (AB 1495) Effective January 1, 2022.)


text:
(a) When a special election to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate is consolidated with the regularly scheduled election for that office for the term following the term in which the vacancy occurred, the order of precedence of offices on the ballot for the County of Los Angeles shall be as listed in this section. Beginning in the column to the left:

(1) Under the heading, REGULAR ELECTION:

Candidates or nominees to the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate, as applicable, for the term following the term in which the vacancy occurred.

(2) Under the heading, SPECIAL ELECTION:

Candidates or nominees to the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate, as applicable, for the remainder of the term in which the vacancy occurred.

(3) All other offices and measures shall be listed after the offices listed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) according to the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until the first January 1 that occurs at least four years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a) of Section 13109.7, and as of that date is repealed.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 316, Sec. 4. (AB 1495) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed on date prescribed by its own provisions.)


citation: ELEC § 13110

text: The group of names of candidates for any partisan office, voter-nominated office, or nonpartisan office shall be the same on the ballots of all voters entitled to vote for candidates for that office, except that in partisan primary elections, the names of candidates for nomination to partisan office shall appear only on the ballots of the political party, the nomination of which they seek, and candidates for election to a political party committee shall appear only on the ballots of the political party for which the candidate seeks election.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 1, Sec. 48. (SB 6) Effective January 1, 2010. Operative January 1, 2011, pursuant to Sec. 67 of Ch. 1.)


citation: ELEC § 13111

text:
Candidates for each office shall be printed on the ballot in accordance with the following rules:

(a) The names of presidential candidates to whom candidates for delegate to the national convention are pledged, and the names of chairpersons of groups of candidates for delegate expressing no preference, shall be arranged on the primary election ballot by the Secretary of State by the names of the candidates in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112 in the case of the ballots for the First Assembly District. Thereafter, for each succeeding Assembly district, the name appearing first in the last preceding Assembly district shall be placed last, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(b) The names of the pairs of candidates for President and Vice President shall be arranged on the general election ballot by the Secretary of State by the names of the candidates for President in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112 in the case of the ballots for the First Assembly District. Thereafter, for each succeeding Assembly district, the pair appearing first in the last preceding Assembly district shall be placed last, the order of the other pairs remaining unchanged.

(c) In the case of all other offices, the candidates for which are to be voted on throughout the state, the Secretary of State shall arrange the names of the candidates for the office in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112 for the First Assembly District. Thereafter, for each succeeding Assembly district, the name appearing first in the last preceding Assembly district shall be placed last, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(d) If the office is that of Representative in Congress or member of the State Board of Equalization, the Secretary of State shall arrange the names of candidates for the office in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112 for that Assembly district that has the lowest number of all the Assembly districts in which candidates are to be voted on. Thereafter, for each succeeding Assembly district in which the candidates are to be voted on, the names appearing first in the last preceding Assembly district shall be placed last, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(e) If the office is that of State Senator or Member of the Assembly, the county elections official shall arrange the names of the candidates for the office in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112, unless the district encompasses more than one county, in which case the arrangement shall be made pursuant to subdivision (i).

(f) If the office is to be voted upon wholly within, but not throughout, one county, as in the case of municipal, district, county supervisor, and county central committee offices, the official responsible for conducting the election shall determine the order of names in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112.

(g) If the office is to be voted on throughout a single county, and there are not more than four Assembly districts wholly or partly in the county, the county elections official shall determine the order of names in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112 for the first supervisorial district. Thereafter, for each succeeding supervisorial district, the name appearing first for each office in the last preceding supervisorial district shall be placed last, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(h) If there are five or more Assembly districts wholly or partly in the county, an identical procedure shall be followed, except that rotation shall be by Assembly district, commencing with the Assembly district which has the lowest number.

(i) Except as provided in subdivision (d) of Section 13112, if the office is that of State Senator or Member of the Assembly, and the district includes more than one county, the county elections official in each county shall conduct a drawing of the letters of the alphabet, pursuant to the same procedures specified in Section 13112. The results of the drawing shall be known as a county randomized ballot and shall be used only to arrange the names of the candidates when the district includes more than one county.

(j) If the office is that of Justice of the California Supreme Court or a court of appeal, the appropriate elections officials shall arrange the names of the candidates for the office in accordance with the randomized alphabet as provided for in Section 13112. However, the names of the judicial candidates shall not be rotated among the applicable districts.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 100. Effective January 1, 2003.)


citation: ELEC § 13112

text:
The Secretary of State shall conduct a drawing of the letters of the alphabet, the result of which shall be known as a randomized alphabet. The procedure shall be as follows:

(a) Each letter of the alphabet shall be written on a separate slip of paper, each of which shall be folded and inserted into a capsule. Each capsule shall be opaque and of uniform weight, color, size, shape, and texture. The capsules shall be placed in a container, which shall be shaken vigorously in order to mix the capsules thoroughly. The container then shall be opened and the capsules removed at random one at a time. As each is removed, it shall be opened and the letter on the slip of paper read aloud and written down. The resulting random order of letters constitutes the randomized alphabet, which is to be used in the same manner as the conventional alphabet in determining the order of all candidates in all elections. For example, if two candidates with the surnames Campbell and Carlson are running for the same office, their order on the ballot will depend on the order in which the letters M and R were drawn in the randomized alphabet drawing.

(b) (1) There shall be six drawings, three in each even-numbered year and three in each odd-numbered year. Each drawing shall be held at 11 a.m. on the date specified in this subdivision. The results of each drawing shall be mailed immediately to each county elections official responsible for conducting an election to which the drawing is applicable, who shall use it in determining the order on the ballot of the names of the candidates for office.

(A) The first drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the April general law city elections of an even-numbered year, and shall apply to those elections and any other elections held at the same time.

(B) The second drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the direct primary of an even-numbered year, and shall apply to all candidates on the ballot in that election.

(C) (i) The third drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the November general election of an even-numbered year, and shall apply to all candidates on the ballot in the November general election.

(ii) In the case of the primary election and the November general election, the Secretary of State shall certify and transmit to each county elections official the order in which the names of federal and state candidates, with the exception of candidates for State Senate and Assembly, shall appear on the ballot. The elections official shall determine the order on the ballot of all other candidates using the appropriate randomized alphabet for that purpose.

(D) The fourth drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the March general law city elections of each odd-numbered year, and shall apply to those elections and any other elections held at the same time.

(E) The fifth drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June of each odd-numbered year, and shall apply to all candidates on the ballot in the elections held on that date.

(F) The sixth drawing under this subdivision shall take place on the 82nd day before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the odd-numbered year, and shall apply to all candidates on the ballot in the elections held on that date.

(2) In the event there is to be an election of candidates to a special district, school district, charter city, or other local government body at the same time as one of the five major election dates specified in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, and the last possible day to file nomination papers for the local election would occur after the date of the drawing for the major election date, the procedure set forth in Section 13113 shall apply.

(c) Each randomized alphabet drawing shall be open to the public. At least 10 days prior to a drawing, the Secretary of State shall notify the news media and other interested parties of the date, time, and place of the drawing. The president of each statewide association of local officials with responsibilities for conducting elections shall be invited by the Secretary of State to attend each drawing or send a representative. The state chairman of each qualified political party shall be invited to attend or send a representative in the case of drawings held to determine the order of candidates on the primary election ballot, the November general election ballot, or a special election ballot as provided for in subdivision (d).

(d) In the case of any special election for State Assembly, State Senate, or Representative in Congress, on the first weekday after the close of filing of nomination papers for the office, the Secretary of State shall conduct a public drawing to produce a randomized alphabet in the same manner as provided for in subdivisions (a) and (c). The resulting randomized alphabet shall be used for determining the order on the ballot of the candidates in both the primary election for the special election and in the special election.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 508, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2007.)


citation: ELEC § 13113

text:
(a) In the case of an election of candidates in a special district, school district, charter city (whose charter does not provide to the contrary), or other local government body, occurring on other than one of the election dates specified in subdivision (b) of Section 13112, the official responsible for conducting the election shall, at the same time that the election is called, notify the Secretary of State by electronic delivery of the date of the election, the date of the close of filing, and the last possible date for filing in the event there is an extension of filing due to an incumbent failing to file, and the Secretary of State shall confirm receipt of that information in writing by electronic delivery. The Secretary of State shall conduct a randomized alphabet drawing pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13112 on the first weekday following the last possible day of filing in the event there is an extension for the election.

(b) Except as provided for runoff elections in subdivision (d), if two or more drawings for local government elections would occur on the same date, the Secretary of State may use a single randomized alphabet drawing for all of these elections. The Secretary of State shall communicate the results of the drawing by electronic delivery to each respective official responsible for conducting the election who shall use it to determine the order on the ballot of all candidates’ names. Each respective official shall confirm receipt of the drawing results in writing by electronic delivery to the Secretary of State.

(c) All drawings held pursuant to this section shall be open to the public.

(d) If a charter city conducts a runoff election, it shall use the results of a randomized alphabet drawing separate from the results of the randomized alphabet drawing used for the initial election for that runoff election. The city shall, within three days following the initial election, notify the Secretary of State by electronic delivery of the date of the election and request that the Secretary of State conduct a randomized alphabet drawing for the runoff election. The Secretary of State shall confirm receipt of the request in writing by electronic delivery to the city, and shall immediately conduct a randomized alphabet drawing for the runoff election and communicate the results of the drawing to the elections official responsible for conducting the runoff election who shall use the results to determine the order of all the candidates’ names on the ballot. The results of the randomized alphabet drawing shall be clearly labeled “FOR USE IN A RUNOFF ELECTION ONLY.”

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 304, Sec. 9. (AB 1513) Effective January 1, 2026.)


citation: ELEC § 13114

text:
(a) At any regular meeting of a city council held prior to the date on which the Secretary of State conducts the randomized alphabet drawing applicable to the regular municipal election under Section 13112, or, under Section 13113, applicable to a special election called to fill a vacancy on the city council, the city council may, by resolution, provide for the rotation on the ballot of the names of candidates for any elective city office.

(b) A resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall specify which regular statewide election precincts or, if precincts have been consolidated for purposes of the city election, which consolidated precincts, shall constitute each cluster of precincts for purposes of the rotation of candidates’ names on the ballot.

(c) (1) As used in this section, a “cluster” shall consist of one or more precincts which need not be contiguous. The clusters of precincts shall be numbered in consecutive order for purposes of ballot rotation of candidates’ names, and the resolution shall list the clusters by number and identify which precincts are in each cluster.

(2) No cluster of precincts shall contain a number of registered voters which is more than 10 percent greater or lesser than the average number of registered voters for a cluster as of the most recent estimate by the county elections official of the number of registered voters in each regular precinct in the city prior to the adoption of the resolution. The resolution shall set forth the total number of registered voters in each cluster.

(d) A resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall specify that, in the cluster designated as cluster number one, the names shall appear on the ballot in the order determined by the Secretary of State’s randomized alphabet drawing. For each successive cluster, the resolution shall specify the manner of determining the order of the candidates’ names by applying the following:

(1) If the number of candidates for an office is equal to or less than the number of clusters, in cluster number two and each successive cluster, the name appearing first in the last preceding cluster shall be placed last, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(2) If the number of candidates for an office is greater than the number of clusters, the former shall be divided by the latter. If the resulting quotient is a mixed number and the fractional part of the mixed number is less than one-half, the fraction shall be discarded. If the fractional part of the mixed number is one-half or greater, the quotient shall be raised to the next largest whole number. The whole number that results from this process shall be the number of candidates that, in cluster number two and each successive cluster, shall be taken from the beginning of the list and placed at the end of the list, the order of the other names remaining unchanged.

(e) (1) No city may provide for rotation of candidates’ names on the ballot for a particular election unless the resolution authorizing it, in accordance with this section, is adopted by the city council at a regular meeting, at which the city elections official has provided cost estimates of this rotation, prior to the date of the randomized alphabet drawing applicable to the election.

(2) A city council resolution that provides for rotation of candidates’ names pursuant to this section for any election which is consolidated with any county or state election shall also provide for the payment of computer programming, formatting, preparation, and all similar related administrative costs associated with development of the ballot on which those names appear.


citation: ELEC § 13115

text:
The order in which all state measures that are to be submitted to the voters shall appear on the ballot is as follows:

(a) Bond measures, including those proposed by initiative, in the order in which they qualify.

(b) Constitutional amendments, including those proposed by initiative, in the order in which they qualify.

(c) Legislative measures, other than those described in subdivision (a) or (b), in the order in which they are approved by the Legislature.

(d) Initiative measures, other than those described in subdivision (a) or (b), in the order in which they qualify.

(e) Referendum measures, in the order in which they qualify.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 57. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.)


citation: ELEC § 13116

text:
(a) In an election at which state, county, city, or other local measures are submitted to a vote of the voters, all state measures shall be numbered in numerical order, as provided in this chapter or division. All county, city, or other local measures shall be designated by a letter, instead of a figure, printed on the left margin of the square containing the description of the measure, commencing with the letter “A” and continuing in alphabetical order, one letter for each of these measures appearing on the ballot.

(b) An elections official may commence designating local measures with any letter of the alphabet following the letter “A,” and continuing in alphabetical order, in order to avoid voter confusion that might result from different local measures carrying the same letter designation in successive elections.

(c) Where two or more counties or cities submitting measures to the voters are in close proximity, the elections officials of those counties or cities may mutually agree to use letter designation for ballot measures that will not conflict or confuse the voter.


citation: ELEC § 13117

text:
(a) Commencing with the November 3, 1998, general election, all state measures in all elections at which state measures are submitted to a vote of the voters shall be numbered in a continuous sequence, commencing with the number “1” and continuing in numerical sequence for a period of 10 years from the year of commencement.

(b) At the completion of a 10-year cycle, the numbering sequence shall recommence with the number “1” at the next election at which state measures are submitted to a vote of the voters.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 58, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)


citation: ELEC § 13118

text:
The following rules apply when a person who is a candidate for an office believes that another person with a name that is so similar that it may be confused with the candidate’s name has filed or will file a nomination paper for the same office:

(a) The candidate may, at the time of filing the candidate’s nomination paper, or within five days after the time for filing nomination papers has expired, file with the elections official a statement that shall be in substance as follows:

“I ____, believe that another person, whose name is so similar to mine that it may be confused with mine, has filed or will file a nomination paper for the same office for which I have filed a nomination paper, and I therefore request and direct that the elections official assign a number to each candidate with a similar name to be printed on the ballot as a distinguishing mark.NameCandidate for the officeof ”(b) The distinguishing mark shall be a number, commencing with the number “1” and continuing in numerical sequence until each candidate with a similar name has been assigned a distinguishing number, and shall be printed at the right of the name on the ballot.

(c) The first candidate who filed the candidate’s nomination papers shall have the number “1” and each subsequent candidate, based on the time of filing the candidate’s nomination papers, shall be assigned the next number in numerical sequence.

(d) In addition to the designated numbers that the elections official shall place on the ballot when the above conditions are met, the elections official shall place on the ballot, immediately preceding the names of the candidates to be voted upon, or on the contest header if there is not sufficient space immediately preceding the name, the following warning:

“Warning! There are two (or applicable number) candidates for this office with identical names.”

This warning shall also be included, in a prominent manner, on any state voter information guide, county voter information guide, or other mailing sent by the elections official, before the election, to persons eligible to vote for this office.

(e) To determine the order on the ballot for the candidates with similar names, the elections official shall conduct a drawing of the numbers assigned to the candidates in a similar manner as provided for in Section 13112.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 2. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)


citation: ELEC § 13119

text:
(a) The ballots used when voting upon a measure proposed by a local governing body or submitted to the voters as an initiative or referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000), including a measure authorizing the issuance of bonds or the incurrence of debt, shall have printed on them the words “Shall the measure (stating the nature thereof) be adopted?” To the right or below the statement of the measure to be voted on, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “Yes,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the measure. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “No,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.

(b) If the proposed measure imposes a tax or raises the rate of a tax, the ballot shall include in the statement of the measure to be voted on the amount of money to be raised annually and the rate and duration of the tax to be levied.

(c) The statement of the measure shall be a true and impartial synopsis of the purpose of the proposed measure, and shall be in language that is neither argumentative nor likely to create prejudice for or against the measure.

(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Local governing body” means the governing body of a city, county, city and county, including a charter city or charter county, or district, including a school district.

(2) “Target” means an object designated as the aim for a voter to make a vote selection.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 3. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)


citation: ELEC § 13120

text:
(a) The ballots used when voting upon a county, city, or district ordinance referred to the voters of the respective jurisdiction as a referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000) shall have printed on them the words “Shall the ordinance (stating the nature thereof, including any identifying number or title) be adopted?” Opposite the statement of the ordinance to be voted on and to its right, or immediately below if there is not sufficient space opposite the statement of the ordinance and to its right, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “Yes,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the ordinance. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “No,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.

(b) The ballots used when voting upon a state statute referred to the voters of the state as a referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000) shall have printed on them the words “Shall California keep or overturn a law passed in [enter year statute was enacted] [followed by no more than 15 words stating the general subject or nature of the law]? Opposite the statement of the statute to be voted on and to its right, or immediately below if there is not sufficient space opposite the statement of the statute and to its right, the words “Keep the law” and “Overturn the law” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed words “Keep the law,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the statute. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed words “Overturn the law,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 162, Sec. 8. (AB 421) Effective September 8, 2023.)


citation: ELEC § 13121

text: Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the county elections official conducting any school election shall not be required to provide more than one ballot to the same voter for the purpose of voting on separate propositions at the same election. However, no voter shall be presented with a ballot containing a proposition on which he or she is not entitled to vote by reason of not residing within the district or area affected by the proposition.

history: (History: Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)


citation: ELEC § 13200

text: Ballots not printed in substantial compliance with this chapter shall not be cast nor counted at any election.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 15. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

chapter: 3. Ballot Printing Specifications

article: 1. General Provisions

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 3. Ballot Printing Specifications > 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13201

text: The ballots of each political party’s central committee shall be designed so that each ballot may be easily and clearly distinguished from, and not confused with, a ballot of any other political party.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 199, Sec. 43. Effective January 1, 1999.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13202

text:
(a) All ballots of the same sort prepared by any county elections official, clerk or secretary of a legislative body, or other person having charge of preparing ballots for the same polling place, shall be precisely the same size, arrangement, quality and tint of paper, and kind of type, and shall be printed with ink of the same tint, so that without the numbers on the stubs it is impossible to distinguish any one of the ballots from the other ballots of the same sort.

(b) The names of all candidates printed upon the ballot shall be in type of the same size and character. If there is not sufficient space for a candidate name, the size may be adjusted as close as possible to the size and character of all the other candidate names printed upon the ballot.

(c) For multilingual ballots, if there is not sufficient space to print candidate names in at least 10-point bold type, as required by Section 13211, the size of candidate names shall be uniformly adjusted to a size that is no less than 8-point type.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 16. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13203

text: At the top of the first page of the ballot shall be printed in at least 16-point bold type the words “Official Ballot.” Beneath this heading, the name of the election shall be printed in at least 12-point bold type and, in the case of a partisan primary election, the official party designation or the words “Nonpartisan Ballot” shall be printed, as applicable. After the heading line or lines, there shall be printed, in at least 12-point type, the date of the election and, in at least 8-point type, the name of the county in which the ballot is to be voted. The county name may alternatively be displayed in the county seal or logo. In addition, the ballot shall have printed, at the top or bottom of each card, a ballot style identifier or some other means of identifying the number of the congressional, Senate, and Assembly district.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 17. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13204

text:
(a) The instructions to voters shall be printed below the ballot identification and above the contests to be voted on, or in the first column of the ballot as long as no contest is placed below the instructions in that column. The instructions shall be in at least 10-point type and in an area clearly separated from the ballot contests.

(b) (1) The instructions shall be written in plain language to communicate the following information:

(A) How to vote for a candidate or in a contest with “Yes” and “No” options.

(B) How to write in a candidate.

(C) What to do if a mistake is made.

(2) The instructions may also include warnings and checks to help voters mark their ballot correctly and avoid errors. Instructions for specific types of contests are required only if a contest of that type appears on the ballot.

(c) (1) For purposes of the instructions described in this section, the following text is recommended:

“Instructions for voting

To vote for a candidate, completely fill in the [voting target] next to the candidate’s name or the word “Yes” or “No.”

To vote for a qualified write-in candidate, write the name in the blank space provided and fill in the [voting target].

If you make a mistake, [instructions for making a correction] [or ask for a new ballot].

Make sure your vote counts.

Use a [blue or black ballpoint pen].

Do not select more candidates than the number to be elected. You may vote in as many or as few contests as you want.

A mistake in one contest does not affect the rest of the ballot.”

(2) The recommended instructions in paragraph (1) may be modified to apply to the voting system and ballot format in each county, and the administration of elections in that county.

(d) The instructions may be accompanied by illustrations, customized to the ballot design in each county, that show the correct way of marking a selection on the ballot, writing in a candidate name, or correcting a mistake.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 19. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13206

text:
(a) (1) On the partisan ballot used in a direct primary election, immediately before or above the contest for President, the following words shall be printed on ballots of parties that require registration as a member of the party to vote in the party’s primary election:

“Party-Nominated Offices

Only voters registered as a member of the [name of party] may vote in this primary election for President and party committee.”

(2) In the same location, the following words shall be printed on ballots of parties that permit voters who have not disclosed a party preference to vote in the party’s primary:

“Party-Nominated Offices

Voters registered as a member of the [name of party] may vote in this primary election for President and party committee. Some parties may allow voters with no party preference to vote in the party’s primary election for President.”

(3) For voting systems that do not allow variance in instructions, the following words shall be printed:

“Party-Nominated Offices

Voters registered as a member of the same party as the candidates may vote in this primary election for President and party committee. Some parties may allow voters with no party preference to vote in the party’s primary election for President.”

(b) Before or above the first voter-nominated contest, the following words shall be printed:

“Voter-Nominated Offices

All voters may vote in these contests.

Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”

(c) Before or above the first nonpartisan contest, or in the same area as the notice for voter-nominated offices, the following words shall be printed:

“Nonpartisan Offices

All voters may vote in these contests.

Candidates for these offices do not display a party preference.”

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 21. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) (1) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each year evenly divisible by the number four, immediately before or above the contest for President, the following words shall be printed:

“Party-Nominated Offices

Candidates for these offices are the official nominee of the party displayed with their name.”

(2) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each year evenly divisible by the number four, following the portion of the ballot for party-nominated offices, the following words shall be printed:

“Voter-Nominated and Nonpartisan Offices

Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”

(b) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each even-numbered year that is not evenly divisible by the number four, immediately below the instructions to voters, the following words shall be printed:

“Voter-Nominated and Nonpartisan Offices

Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 22. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13207

text:
(a) There shall be printed on the ballot in parallel columns all of the following:

(1) The respective offices.

(2) The names of candidates with sufficient blank spaces to allow the voters to write in names not printed on the ballot, except that no spaces shall be printed for voter-nominated offices at a general election.

(3) Whatever measures have been submitted to the voters.

(b) In the case of a ballot which is intended for use in a party primary and which carries partisan offices, voter-nominated offices, and nonpartisan offices, a vertical solid black line shall divide the columns containing partisan offices, on the left, from the columns containing nonpartisan offices and voter-nominated offices, on the right.

(c) The standard width of columns containing partisan offices, nonpartisan offices, and voter-nominated offices, shall be three inches except that an elections official may vary the width of these columns by up to one inch. The column containing presidential and vice presidential candidates may be as wide as four inches.

(d) A measure that is to be submitted to the voters shall be printed in one or more parallel columns to the right of the columns containing the names of candidates and shall be of sufficient width to contain the title and summary of the measure. To the right of or below the title and summary shall be printed, on separate lines, the words “Yes” and “No.”

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 57, Sec. 5. (AB 2835) Effective January 1, 2019.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13208

text:
(a) A voting target shall be printed next to the name of each voting option. The voting targets shall be used by the voters to express their choices as provided for in the instruction to voters.

(b) The standard voting target shall be at least 0.12 inches across in either dimension.

(c) As used in this section, “target” means an object designated as the aim for a voter to make a vote selection.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 23. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13209

text: Whenever a foreign translation of the ballot is required by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended by Public Law 94-73, to appear on the ballot as well as the English language version, the ballot may be so designed as to place the foreign translation next to the voting target.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 24. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13210

text:
(a) In the case of candidates for delegate to national convention, there shall be printed in at least 10-point bold type, the words, “President of the United States” and “Vote for one group only.”

(b) In the case of candidates for President and Vice President, the words “Vote for One Party” shall appear just below the heading “President and Vice President” and shall be printed so as to appear above the voting targets for that office. The heading “President and Vice President” shall be printed in at least 10-point bold type.

(c) In that section of the ballot designated for judicial offices, next to the heading “judicial” shall appear the instruction: “Vote yes or no for each office.”

(d) In the case of candidates for Justice of the Supreme Court and court of appeal, within the rectangle provided for each candidate, and immediately above each candidate’s name, there shall appear the following: “For (designation of judicial office).” There shall be as many of these headings as there are candidates for these judicial offices. No heading shall apply to more than one judicial office. Underneath each heading shall appear the words “Shall (title and name of Justice) be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”

(e) In the case of all other candidates, each group of candidates to be voted on shall be preceded by the designation of the office for which they are running, and the words “vote for one” or “vote for no more than two,” or more, according to the number to be nominated or elected. The designation of the office and the words “vote for” shall be printed in at least 9-point bold type. The designation of the office and the directions for voting shall be separated from the candidates by a light line. There shall be no line between the headings for federal or legislative offices and the designation of the office and the directions for voting.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 25. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13211

text: The names of the candidates shall be printed on the ballot, without indentation, in at least 10-point bold type.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 26. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) Each group of names of candidates for a particular office shall be printed in immediate succession to another group of names of candidates for a particular office so as to avoid unnecessary spacing or gaps in the sequence in which each series of groups of names are listed on the ballot.

(b) Spaces may be left on the ballot in order to keep an entire contest together in a single column or page, or to manage the arrangement of contests on the ballot.

(c) When a ballot has multiple pages or cards, an instruction shall be printed to direct the voter to continue to the next page or card.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 27. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


text:
(a) (1) In jurisdictions required to provide translated ballot materials pursuant to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10503), as that section may be amended from time to time, any ballot that provides a translation of a candidate’s name shall contain a phonetic transliteration of the candidate’s name, except as provided in subdivision (b).

(2) This section applies only to character-based languages, including, but not limited to, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, and Korean.

(3) If a candidate’s name is to appear on the ballot in more than one jurisdiction in an election, all of those jurisdictions required to provide translated ballot materials pursuant to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10503) shall use the same phonetic transliteration or character-based translation of the name.

(4) (A) In a jurisdiction in which separate ballots containing translations of the candidates’ names are printed in different languages, both the alphabet-based names and the translations of the candidates’ names, for candidates that have translated names, shall appear on the translated ballot.

(B) If a jurisdiction is unable to comply with subparagraph (A) due to limitations of its existing voting system, any new voting system purchased by the jurisdiction after July 1, 2020, shall be able to accommodate the requirements of subparagraph (A).

(b) If a candidate has a character-based name by birth, that can be verified by birth certificate or other valid identification, the candidate may use that name on the ballot instead of a phonetic transliteration. A candidate who does not have a character-based name by birth, but who identifies by a particular character-based name and can demonstrate to the local elections official that the candidate has been known and identified within the public sphere by that name over the past two years, may use that name instead of a phonetic transliteration.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 82, Sec. 1. (AB 57) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13212

text: Except for a voter-nominated office at a general election, under the designation of each office shall be printed as many blank spaces, defined by light lines, as there are candidates to be nominated or elected to the office.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 28. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13213

text: Each group of names of candidates for a particular office shall be separated from the succeeding group. Each series of groups shall be headed by a caption that reads “President of the United States,” “President and Vice President,” “State,” “United States Senator,” “United States Representative,” “State Senator,” “Member of the State Assembly,” “County,” or “City” or other proper general classification, as the case may be, printed in at least 10-point bold type. Each caption shall be separated from the names of the candidates beneath.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 29. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13214

text: All sides of the columns on the ballot shall be bordered. The binding or stitching of each package of ballots shall be along the top or head of the ballot. If ballots are to be used on a ballot on demand system or another system that prints content onto ballots, ballots are not required to be bound or stitched.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 30. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13215

text:
(a) The ballots may be printed on the same leaf with a stub not over one inch in depth. The stub may be separated from the ballot by a horizontal perforated line or rule from side to side. Upon this stub shall be printed only the number of the ballot.

(b) Stubs are not required on ballots to be used on a ballot on demand system or another system that prints content onto the ballot.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 18. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13216

text: A ballot stub may be used for a ballot. The ballots may contain printed and distinguishing marks if secrecy in voting is protected.

history: (History: Repealed and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 32. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13217

text:
(a) The number on each ballot shall be the same as that on the corresponding stub, and the ballots and stubs shall be numbered consecutively in each county, or the ballots and stubs may be numbered consecutively within each combination of congressional, senatorial, and Assembly districts in each county. In a partisan primary election, the sequence of numbers on the official ballots and stubs for each party within each county, or within each political subdivision in each county, shall begin with the number 1.

(b) In counties using vote centers, ballots may be serialized in the way that best promotes ballot accounting and with the greatest economic efficiency for the county.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 21. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13218

text:
(a) The Secretary of State shall establish a ballot design advisory committee to assist the Secretary of State to promulgate regulations that prescribe ballot design and format.

(b) The ballot design advisory committee shall consist of the Secretary of State, or the secretary’s designee, and members to be appointed by the Secretary of State who are recognized ballot design experts and county elections officials or a designee of a county elections official. Each recognized ballot design expert shall have demonstrated experience with ballot design requirements and knowledge of presenting election materials to voters using plain language methods or another method that is easy for voters to access and understand.

history: (History: Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 22. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13219

text: When printed, all ballots shall be bound in stub books, of such size as the clerk may determine. A record of the number of ballots printed shall be kept by the officer authorizing the printing. If stubs are not used pursuant to Section 13216, ballots may be bound by another method determined by the county elections official.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 23. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13220

text: If two or more officers are to be elected for the same office for different terms, the terms for which each candidate for the office is nominated shall be printed on the ballot as a part of the title of the office. If at a general election an office is to be filled for a full term and also for a vacancy in another term, the list of candidates for the full term shall be placed on the ballot under the designation of the office with the words “Full Term” printed immediately after that designation, and the list of candidates to fill the vacancy shall be placed on the ballot under the designation of the office with the words “Short Term” printed immediately after that designation.

history: (History: Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

article: 1. General Provisions


citation: ELEC § 13230

text:
(a) If the county elections official determines that, due to the number of candidates and measures that must be printed on the ballot, the ballot will be larger than may be conveniently handled, the county elections official may provide that a nonpartisan ballot shall be given to each partisan voter, together with his or her partisan ballot, and that the material appearing under the heading “Voter-Nominated and Nonpartisan Offices” on partisan ballots, as well as the heading itself, shall be omitted from the partisan ballots.

(b) If the county elections official so provides, the procedure prescribed for the handling and canvassing of ballots shall be modified to the extent necessary to permit the use of two ballots by partisan voters. The county elections official may, in this case, order the second ballot to be printed on paper of a different tint, and assign to those ballots numbers higher than those assigned to the ballots containing partisan offices.

(c) “Partisan voters,” for purposes of this section, includes both persons who have disclosed a party preference pursuant to Section 2151 or 2152 and persons who have declined to disclose a party preference, but who have chosen to vote the ballot of a political party as authorized by that party’s rules duly noticed to the Secretary of State.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 3, Sec. 41. (AB 1413) Effective February 10, 2012.)

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 3. Ballot Printing Specifications > 2. Allowable Changes in Ballot Format and Printing


citation: ELEC § 13231

text:
If the elections official of any county finds it necessary in connection with the use of any approved method of vote counting, the elections official may provide for any of the following changes in the format of ballots in one or more precincts at any election:

(a) Ballots may be bound and padded at the side.

(b) The left and right edge of ballots may be trimmed to the edge of printed material.

(c) A series of punched holes may be provided in the upper right-hand portion of each ballot.

(d) The ballot number may be placed at any place along the top left-hand corner of the ballot.

(e) A cutout section, not to exceed two inches in depth, commencing at the left-hand edge of the far right column of the ballot, may be provided along the top edge of the ballot.

(f) Press perforations may be placed between columns of the ballot, from top to bottom, to permit the folding of the ballot at each perforation.

(g) “Yes” and “No” columns where necessary, may be as narrow as one-quarter inch wide.

(h) The instructions to voters may be placed at the bottom of the ballot instead of at the top of the ballot, and an appropriate reference to the location of the instructions may be printed in the upper right portion of the ballot.

(i) The ballot serial number may be placed on any position of the ballot that does not impact other required text or voting targets on the ballot card.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 24. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)

article: 2. Allowable Changes in Ballot Format and Printing


citation: ELEC § 13232

text:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of conducting the Democratic Party Presidential Primary Election, the Secretary of State may, if it is reasonably necessary to accommodate the limitations of a voter system or vote tabulating device, authorize the county elections officials to do any or all of the following:

(a) Vary the order of any office or measure listed in Section 13109, with the exception of President of the United States, United States Representative, State Senator, Member of the Assembly, and judicial offices.

(b) Place any office listed in Section 13109 on a second ballot, with the exception of United States Representative, State Senator, Member of the State Assembly, judicial offices, County Superintendent of Schools, County Board of Education Members, and county officers.

(c) Place any ballot measure, other than a state measure, on a separate ballot.


citation: ELEC § 13233

text:
In a municipal election, if the number of candidates for an office is such that all of the names will not fit in one column of reasonable length, a double column may be used, and all of the following provisions shall apply:

(a) The space between the two halves of the double column shall be less than that between the double column and any other columns on the ballot, and the lines separating the columns and the two halves of the double column shall be printed so as to emphasize the fact that the candidates in the double column are running for the same office.

(b) The designation of the office and any other words required to be at the top of the contest shall be printed across the top of the entire double column with no dividing line. The words “Vote for one,” “Vote for two,” or more, as the case may be, shall be centered over the entire double column and shall be printed below any other words at the top of the double column.

(c) The names of the candidates, including the blank space or spaces necessary to permit the voter to write in the names of persons not printed on the ballot, shall be apportioned as equally as possible between the two columns. The odd space, if any, shall be included in the left-hand column.

(d) The double column shall be used for no more than one office and for no more than one term for any office.

(e) The order of names and blank spaces in the double column shall be the same as would apply to a single column with the left-hand side of the double column taken first.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 34. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)


citation: ELEC § 13240

text: Notwithstanding any other provisions of this code, the ballots to be counted by means of electronic or electromechanical devices may be of a size, composition, and texture that, and may be printed in any type of ink or combination of inks that, will be suitable for use in the counting devices in which they are intended to be placed.

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 3. Ballot Printing Specifications > 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13241

text: The names of the candidates and the respective offices shall be printed on the ballot in parallel columns at least 2 inches wide.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 57, Sec. 8. (AB 2835) Effective January 1, 2019.)

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13242

text: Where electromechanical vote tabulating devices are used to count all or part of the ballots, the names of presidential candidates may be printed in the same column as the names of candidates for other offices.

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13243

text: The ballots may contain printed code marks or punched holes that may be used for placing the ballots in correct reading position in the counting devices. The code marks or punched holes shall not be used in any way that will reveal the identity of the voters voting the ballots.

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13244

text: The county voter information guide provided pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 13300) shall include a substantial facsimile of the official ballot, including instructions to voters.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 422, Sec. 61. (AB 2911) Effective January 1, 2017.)

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13246

text: The device for marking the ballot may be of any size, shape, or form, and the impression made on the ballot may be in the form of a cross, square, circle, rectangle, or any other design that will clearly indicate the choice of the voter. Any type of ink or other substance that will clearly show the voter’s choice may be used in or in conjunction with the marking device.

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13247

text: The statement of all measures submitted to the voters shall be abbreviated on the ballot in a ballot label as provided for in Section 9051. The ballot label shall be followed by the words, “Yes” and “No”, except for a statewide referendum measure. The ballot label for a statewide referendum measure shall be followed by the words, “Keep the law” and “Overturn the law.”

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 162, Sec. 9. (AB 421) Effective September 8, 2023.)

article: 3. Vote Tabulating Devices


citation: ELEC § 13282

text: Whenever the Attorney General prepares a condensed ballot title and summary, the Attorney General shall file a copy of the condensed ballot title and summary with the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall make a copy of the condensed ballot title and summary as required by subdivision (c) of Section 9051 available for public examination prior to the printing of the ballot label on any ballot. The public shall be permitted to examine the condensed ballot title and summary for at least 20 days, and the Secretary of State may consolidate the examination requirement under this section with the public examination requirements set forth in Section 9092. A voter may seek a writ of mandate requiring a condensed ballot title and summary, or portion thereof, to be amended or deleted. The provisions set forth in Section 9092 concerning the issuance of the writ and the nature of the proceedings shall be applicable to this section.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 751, Sec. 8. (AB 1416) Effective January 1, 2023.)

article: 5. Ballot Labels

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 3. Ballot Printing Specifications > 5. Ballot Labels


citation: ELEC § 13300

text:
(a) By at least 29 days before the partisan primary, each county elections official shall prepare a separate county voter information guide for each political party and a separate nonpartisan county voter information guide. The county elections official shall place in each guide, as applicable, in the order provided in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 13100), and under the appropriate title of each office, the names of all candidates for whom nomination papers have been duly filed with the county elections official or have been certified to the county elections official by the Secretary of State, to be voted for in the county elections official’s county at the partisan primary election.

(b) The county voter information guides shall include a substantial facsimile of the official ballots, except as otherwise provided by law. The county voter information guides shall be printed on paper of a different texture from the paper to be used for the official ballot.

(c) One county voter information guide of the party for which the voter has disclosed a preference, as evidenced by the voter’s registration, shall be mailed no later than 10 days before the election to each voter entitled to vote at the primary who registered at least 29 days before the election. A nonpartisan county voter information guide shall be so mailed to each voter who is not registered as preferring any of the parties participating in the primary election. On election day the voter may, upon request, vote the ballot of a political party if authorized by the party’s rules, duly noticed to the Secretary of State.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 566, Sec. 2. (SB 151) Effective January 1, 2020.)

path: 13. BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS > 4. State and County Voter Information Guides


text: In order to facilitate the timely production and distribution of county voter information guides, the county elections official may prepare a combined county voter information guide.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 422, Sec. 65. (AB 2911) Effective January 1, 2017.)

chapter: 4. State and County Voter Information Guides


text:
Notwithstanding any other law, county and city elections officials may establish procedures designed to permit a voter to opt out of receiving the voter’s county voter information guide, state voter information guide, notice of polling place, and associated materials by mail, and instead obtain them electronically via email or by accessing them on the county’s or city’s internet website, if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) The procedures establish a method of providing notice of and an opportunity by which a voter can notify elections officials of the voter’s desire to obtain ballot materials electronically in lieu of receiving them by mail.

(b) The voter email address or any other information provided by the voter under this section remains confidential pursuant to Section 7924.000 of the Government Code and Section 2194 of this code.

(c) The procedures provide notice and opportunity for a voter who has opted out of receiving a county voter information guide and other materials by mail to opt back into receiving them by mail.

(d) The procedures establish a process by which a voter can apply electronically to become a vote by mail voter.

(e) A voter may only opt out of, or opt back into, receiving the voter’s county voter information guide and other ballot materials by mail if the elections official receives the request and can process it before the statutory deadline for the mailing of those materials for the next election, pursuant to Section 13303. If a voter misses this deadline, the request shall take effect the following election.

(f) The procedures shall include a verification process to confirm the voter’s identity in any of the following manners:

(1) In writing with a signature card that can be matched to the one on file with the elections official.

(2) Electronically with the electronic transmission containing the voter’s California driver’s license number, California identification number, or a partial social security number.

(3) By telephone or in person, upon confirmation of the voter’s date of birth, residence address, and California driver’s license number, California identification number, or a partial social security number.

(g) Information made available over the internet pursuant to this section shall meet or exceed the most current, ratified standards under Section 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794d), as amended, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium for accessibility. Election officials may also implement recommendations of the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee made pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 2053, and of any local Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee created pursuant to the guidelines promulgated by the Secretary of State related to the accessibility of polling places by the physically handicapped.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 28, Sec. 44. (SB 1380) Effective January 1, 2023.)


citation: ELEC § 13302

text:
(a) The county elections official shall forthwith submit the county voter information guide of each political party to the chairperson of the county central committee of that party, and shall mail a copy to each candidate for whom nomination papers have been filed in his or her office or whose name has been certified to him or her by the Secretary of State, to the post office address given in the nomination paper or certification. The county elections official shall post a copy of each county voter information guide in a conspicuous place in his or her office.

(b) In connection with an election at which a candidate for a voter-nominated office will appear on the ballot, a qualified political party may submit to the county elections official a list of all candidates for voter-nominated office who will appear on a ballot in the county in question, and who have been endorsed by the party by whatever lawful mechanism the party adopts for endorsing candidates for voter-nominated office. If a political party timely submits a list to the county elections official pursuant to this subdivision, the county elections official shall print the names of the candidates for voter-nominated office who were endorsed by that political party in the voter information portion of the county voter information guide. The party chairperson shall provide a written copy of the list of candidates endorsed by the party not later than 83 days before the election at which the candidate for a voter-nominated office will appear on the ballot.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 422, Sec. 67. (AB 2911) Effective January 1, 2017.)


citation: ELEC § 13303

text:
(a) For each election, each appropriate elections official shall cause to be printed, on plain white paper or tinted paper, without watermark, at least as many copies of the form of ballot provided for use in each voting precinct as there are voters in the precinct. These copies shall be designated “county voter information guide” upon their face and shall include a substantial facsimile of the official ballots used in the election, except as otherwise provided by law. A county voter information guide shall be mailed, postage prepaid, no later than 21 days before the election to each voter who is registered at least 29 days before the election.

(b) The elections official shall send notice of the polling place, which includes vote centers, to each voter with the county voter information guide. Only official matter shall be sent out with the county voter information guide as provided by law.

(c) The elections official shall send notice of the polling place, which includes vote centers, to each voter who registered after the 29th day before the election and is eligible to participate in the election. The notice shall also include information as to where the voter can obtain a county voter information guide and a state voter information guide before the election, a statement indicating that those documents will be available at the polling place at the time of the election, and the address of the Secretary of State’s internet website and, if applicable, of the county internet website where a county voter information guide may be viewed.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 566, Sec. 3. (SB 151) Effective January 1, 2020.)


citation: ELEC § 13304

text: The notice of the polling place which is sent to each voter as provided in Section 13303 may, at the option of the local elections official, inform the voter as to whether the polling place is accessible to the physically handicapped. In addition, this notice may inform the voter of his or her rights under Section 14282, if applicable.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 72, Sec. 2. Effective July 19, 2005.)


citation: ELEC § 13305

text:
(a) Notwithstanding Sections 13300 and 13303 a county elections official may elect not to mail a county voter information guide to a voter if both of the following are satisfied:

(1) The county elections official prepares and mails to each voter a document that includes all of the information required to be included in, and shall be accompanied by all the election materials required to accompany, the county voter information guide.

(2) The voter is furnished with an official ballot pursuant to Section 3005 or 3010.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 13303, for each voter to whom the elections official elects not to mail a county voter information guide pursuant to subdivision (a), the elections official may cause to be printed one less copy of the county voter information guide.

(c) If a county elections official elects not to mail a county voter information guide to a voter pursuant to this section, the elections official shall use any savings achieved to offset the costs associated with establishing a free access system for vote by mail ballots pursuant to Section 3019.5 before the savings may be used for any other purpose.

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 161, Sec. 27. (AB 2608) Effective August 22, 2022.)


citation: ELEC § 13306

text: Notwithstanding Sections 13300, 13303, and 13307, county voter information guides and candidates’ statements need not be mailed to voters who registered after the 54th day before an election, but all of these voters shall receive polling place notices and state voter information guides. A state voter information guide is not required to be mailed to a voter who registered after the 29th day before an election. Each of these voters shall receive a notice in bold print that states: “Because you are a late registrant, you are not receiving a county voter information guide or candidates’ statements.”

history: (History: Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 422, Sec. 70. (AB 2911) Effective January 1, 2017.)