Any group of individuals, equal in number to the number of presidential electors to which this state is entitled, who desire to be write-in candidates for presidential electors pledged to a particular candidate for President and Vice President of the United States shall file a declaration of write-in candidacy.
Write-in CandidatesPresidential Electors
Section § 8650
If a group of people in California wants to be write-in candidates for presidential electors pledged to a specific presidential and vice-presidential candidate, they must file a declaration of write-in candidacy.
write-in candidates presidential electors declaration of candidacy
Section § 8651
This law outlines what information a write-in candidate for the position of presidential elector must include in their declaration. The candidate has to provide their name, address, a statement of their candidacy, an oath as required by the state constitution, the election date, and the names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates they support. Additionally, the write-in candidate must also provide a declaration from an alternate who will step in if the write-in candidate vacates the position. This alternate's declaration must also include their name, address, oath, election date, and names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates they support.
(a)CA Elections Code § 8651(a) The declaration of write-in candidacy for presidential elector shall contain the following information:
(1)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(1) Candidate’s name.
(2)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(2) Residence address.
(3)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(3) A declaration stating that the candidate is a write-in candidate for the office of presidential elector.
(4)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(4) Oath or affirmation as set forth in Section 3 of Article XX of the California Constitution.
(5)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(5) The date of the general election.
(6)CA Elections Code § 8651(a)(6) The names of the candidates for President and Vice President of the United States for which the group of presidential electors are pledged.
(b)CA Elections Code § 8651(b) The declaration of write-in candidacy described in subdivision (a) shall be accompanied by a declaration of an individual who will serve as an alternate elector if the elector vacates the elector’s office. The accompanying declaration shall state that the individual is an alternate to the write-in candidate for the office of presidential elector and shall contain the information described in paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (5), and (6) of subdivision (a).
write-in candidacy presidential elector declaration of candidacy
Section § 8652
If someone wants to run as a write-in candidate for a general election, they need to submit their candidacy declaration to the Secretary of State at least 14 days before the election.
The declaration of write-in candidacy shall be filed with the Secretary of State no later than the 14th day prior to the general election.
write-in candidacy filing deadline Secretary of State
Section § 8653
In California, for write-in votes for President and Vice President to be counted in the general election, the names must be on a declaration of write-in candidacy along with their pledged electors, as per Section 8650.
Only those names written on the ballot at the general election for the office of President and Vice President of the United States for which a group of presidential electors are pledged on the declaration of write-in candidacy filed pursuant to Section 8650 shall be counted as votes.
write-in votes presidential electors declaration of candidacy
