Cal. ELEC § 8020
This is the official text of Cal. ELEC § 8020, part of California’s Elections Code — governs how elections are conducted, including voter registration, ballots, and campaign rules.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Official statutory text
(a) A candidate’s name shall not be printed on the ballot to be used at the direct primary unless the following nomination documents are delivered for filing to the county elections official:
(1) Declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8040.
(2) Nomination papers signed by signers pursuant to Section 8041.
(3) Proper qualification documentation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13.5, if applicable.
(b) The forms shall first be available on the 113th day prior to the direct primary election, or on the 158th day prior to the primary election for a candidate for membership on a county central committee, and shall be delivered to the county for which the nomination documents were circulated not later than 5 p.m. on the 88th day prior to the primary election. The forms may be delivered to the county elections official by a person other than the candidate.
(c) Upon the receipt of an executed nomination document, the county elections official shall give the person delivering the document a receipt, properly dated, indicating that the document was delivered to the county elections official.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 8028, upon request of a candidate, the county elections official shall provide the candidate with a declaration of candidacy. The county elections official shall not require a candidate to sign, file, or sign and file, a declaration of candidacy as a condition of receiving nomination papers.
(1) Declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8040.
(2) Nomination papers signed by signers pursuant to Section 8041.
(3) Proper qualification documentation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13.5, if applicable.
(b) The forms shall first be available on the 113th day prior to the direct primary election, or on the 158th day prior to the primary election for a candidate for membership on a county central committee, and shall be delivered to the county for which the nomination documents were circulated not later than 5 p.m. on the 88th day prior to the primary election. The forms may be delivered to the county elections official by a person other than the candidate.
(c) Upon the receipt of an executed nomination document, the county elections official shall give the person delivering the document a receipt, properly dated, indicating that the document was delivered to the county elections official.
(d) Notwithstanding Section 8028, upon request of a candidate, the county elections official shall provide the candidate with a declaration of candidacy. The county elections official shall not require a candidate to sign, file, or sign and file, a declaration of candidacy as a condition of receiving nomination papers.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in California?
Find a California lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.