Candidates & Campaigns

Ten Things You Need to Know to Declare Your Candidacy for Local Elective Office

 

1. Make sure you are qualified for the office that you seek. Contact the relevant governing agency for the candidate and officeholder requirements. Are there residency requirements? Are you currently registered to vote in the jurisdiction? Ask the Elections Office to confirm this and, if not, get registered!
   
   
2. Get informed. The County Elections Office provides resources for potential candidates including a Candidate Guide available online at www.shapethefuture.org, and seminars for potential candidates.
   
   It is also important to know your Election Official. For Schools and Special District candidates the County Elections Office is the Election Official; for City candidates the City Clerk is the Elections Official.
   
   
3. Contact the Elections Office and notify the Filing Officer that you are a potential candidate (City candidates contact City Clerk). Make an appointment to declare your Candidacy. Forms cannot be mailed to you. The Candidate Filing Period for regularly scheduled elections opens 113 days before election day and closes 88 days before election day.
   
   
4. Don’t wait until the last minute to file your documents! If there is a problem, you may not be able to fix it in time. Call (650) 3125222 to schedule an appointment during the filing period. The Elections Office does not schedule appointments for the last day of the filing period.
   
   
5. Some offices require nomination petitions to be filed in order to qualify for the ballot. Please consult the proper Elections Official to inquire about this requirement. Candidates should pick up their nomination papers early in the Candidate Filing Period to allow enough time for signature gathering and certification.
   
   
6. Be prepared to fill out a Statement of Economic Interest, Form 700, and disclose personal financial holdings. Download the Form 700 on the Fair Political Practices Commission’s web site at www.fppc.ca.gov.
   
   
7. Don’t forget your check book when filing your candidate statement. Payment MUST be submitted with your statement, or the statement will not be accepted!
   
   
8. After you file to run for office, check the Roster of Candidates on the Elections Office’s web site, to see if you have a check mark “ √ ” next to your name. If not, call the Filing Officer to see what you still have to do to get qualified!
   
   
9. Research state regulations regarding the political activity of candidates by contacting the Secretary of State, www.ss.ca.gov or (916) 6536224, and the Fair Political Practices Commission, www.fppc.ca.gov or (866) 2753772.
   
   
10. Visit the League of Women Voters web site, www.smartvoter.org, to learn about the services offered to candidates through this site for candidate statements, district information and other campaign information.