In any election at which two or more judges or justices of any court are to be voted for or elected for the same term, it shall be deemed that there are as many separate judicial offices to be filled as there are judges or justices of the court to be elected. Each separate office shall be designated by a distinguishing number not greater than the total number of the offices. The designation shall remain the same for all purposes of both primary and general election and shall be used on all nomination papers, certificates of nomination, ballots, certificates of election, and all election papers referring to the office. After election and the issuance of the certificates of election, the designating number shall have no further significance.
Judicial OfficersDistinguishing Number on Ballot
Section § 8200
When multiple judges or justices are being elected for the same term, each position is treated as a separate office with its own number. This number is used throughout the election process on all related documents. Once the election is over and certificates are issued, the numbers don't matter anymore.
judicial election multiple judges separate judicial offices
Section § 8201
This law explains how a person can declare their candidacy or be nominated by the Governor for an election in California. The declaration must be filed with the appropriate official who manages nominations for the election ballot.
Importantly, candidates do not need to list their home addresses on the declaration form. However, the elections official must verify that the candidate lives in the correct political area and note this verification on the form.
(a)CA Elections Code § 8201(a) A declaration of candidacy for election or a nomination by the Governor, made pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 16 of Article VI of the California Constitution, shall be filed with the officer charged with the duty of certifying nominations for publication in the official ballot.
(b)CA Elections Code § 8201(b) No candidate described in subdivision (a) shall be required to state his or her residential address on the declaration of candidacy. However, in cases where the candidate does not state his or her residential address on the declaration of candidacy, the elections official shall verify whether his or her address is within the appropriate political subdivision and add the notation “verified” where appropriate.
declaration of candidacy Governor nomination official ballot
Section § 8202
This law says that offices with numbers, like District 1 or 2, must be listed on ballots based on their numbers. If someone wants to run for one of these numbered offices, they must specify which one in their candidate declaration, and their name will only appear on the ballot for that office.
The numerically designated offices shall be grouped and arranged on all ballots in numerical order. No person may be a candidate nor have his or her name printed upon any ballot as a candidate for any numerically designated office other than the one indicated by him or her in his or her declaration of intention to become a candidate.
ballot arrangement numerically designated offices candidate declaration
Section § 8203
This law explains how the election process works when only the current superior court judge is running for re-election in a county. If no other candidates file to run against the incumbent, their name won't appear on the ballot unless a petition is submitted within 10 days indicating a write-in campaign will happen. This petition must be signed by at least 0.1% of registered voters and must have at least 100 signatures, but not more than 600. If a valid petition arrives 83 days before the general election, the incumbent's name will appear on the general election ballot if it wasn't on the primary ballot. If there’s no petition and the incumbent is unopposed, they are automatically re-elected without their name on the ballot, and the election certificate is issued on the general election day.
(a)CA Elections Code § 8203(a) In any county in which only the incumbent has filed nomination papers for the office of superior court judge, his or her name shall not appear on the ballot unless there is filed with the elections official, within 10 days after the final date for filing nomination papers for the office, a petition indicating that a write-in campaign will be conducted for the office and signed by at least 0.1 percent of the registered voters qualified to vote with respect to the office, provided that the petition shall contain at least 100 signatures but need not contain more than 600 signatures.
(b)CA Elections Code § 8203(b) If a petition indicating that a write-in campaign will be conducted for the office at the general
election, signed by the number of registered voters qualified to vote with respect to the office specified in subdivision (a), is filed with the elections official not less than 83 days before the general election, the name of the incumbent shall be placed on the general election ballot if it has not appeared on the direct primary election ballot.
(c)CA Elections Code § 8203(c) If, in conformity with this section, the name of the incumbent does not appear either on the primary ballot or general election ballot, the elections official, on the day of the general election, shall declare the incumbent reelected. Certificates of election specified in Section 15401 or 15504 shall not be issued to a person reelected pursuant to this section before the day of the general election.
superior court judge election write-in campaign incumbent reelection
Section § 8204
If a current judge either dies or doesn't file nomination papers by the deadline, there is an extra five days allowed for others to file nomination papers for the position.
During this extended period, any eligible person who wasn't the incumbent can file to run, even if they didn't previously declare their intention to run.
(a)CA Elections Code § 8204(a) If an incumbent of a judicial office dies on or before the last day prescribed for the filing of nomination papers, or files a declaration of intention but for any reason fails to file his or her nomination papers by the last day prescribed for the filing of the papers, an additional five days shall be allowed for the filing of nomination papers for the office.
(b)CA Elections Code § 8204(b) Any person other than the person who was the incumbent, if otherwise qualified, may file nomination papers for the office during the extended period, notwithstanding that he or she has not filed a written and signed declaration of intention to become a candidate for the office as provided in Sections 8023 and 8201.
judicial office incumbent death nomination papers
