California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 372


Introduced by Assembly Member Bigelow

February 17, 2015


An act to amend Section 8604 of the Elections Code, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 372, as introduced, Bigelow. Elections: write-in candidates.

Existing law generally prohibits requiring write-in candidates for office to pay a fee or charge. Existing law requires other candidates to pay a filing fee or to submit a petition containing signatures of registered voters in lieu of a filing fee, as specified.

This bill would require write-in candidates for a voter-nominated office who advance to the general election to pay the prescribed filing fee in order to appear on the general election ballot.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P1    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 8604 of the Elections Code is amended
2to read:

3

8604.  

begin deleteNo end deletebegin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insertbegin insertExcept as provided in Section 10228 and in
4subdivision (b), a end insert
fee or charge shallbegin insert notend insert be required of a write-in
5begin delete candidate except in the case of a candidate for city office, as
6provided in Section 10228end delete
begin insert candidateend insert.

begin insert

7(b) A write-in candidate for a voter-nominated office who
8receives the highest or second highest number of votes cast at the
P2    1primary election shall pay the filing fee prescribed by Section 8103
2to the Secretary of State to appear on the ballot at the ensuing
3general election.

end insert


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