Late on October 15, Governor Jerry Brown signed California AB 469. It lowers the number of signatures to get on the ballot, for candidates who don’t pay the filing fee. The statewide petition drops from 10,000 to 7,000. The U.S. House and State Senate petition drops from 3,000 to 2,000. The Assembly petitions drops from 1,500 to 1,000.
The bill also allows these petitions to circulate two weeks earlier than under the old law. However, the provision allowing candidates to submit supplemental petitions after the first petition has been checked is repealed.
Activists from the Peace & Freedom Party and the Green Party did good work on this bill. The original bill, which was proposed by California’s county election officials, abolished the supplemental petitions but did not reduce the number of signatures.
These petitions are useful even if they are not completed. Every valid signature on an in lieu petition reduces the amount of the filing fee. The filing fees are based on the annual salary of the office sought. Statewide office filing fees are 2% of the salary; district office is 1% of the salary.
Changes to be noted in connection with the divide and conquer CA top 2 primary AND the gerrymander math in all districts.
PR and AppV
California should switch to a petition (1/10 of 1% of previous ballots cast in previous off-year election), with a filing fee in lieu of petition.
For statewide office, this would be 7514 signatures; but average 142 for US representative; 188 for senate; and 94 for assembly. For statewide office, the fee would be $13,775; but $260 for US representative; $344 for senate; and $172 for assembly.
Richard, how does this compare to GA and NC? Especially for State and Federal Legislative requirements?
Is there a hole in the law. Currently, Amador County requires a filing fee for Superior Court Judge of $2000, or 6,000 signatures in lieu. However, they allow 7% of the registered voters, so they say only 1,499 signatures are needed. HOWEVER, they are valuing all signatures turned in at 33 cents, which produces the absurd result of a candidate turning in 1498 signatures, all but one required, and getting a pro rated value of 494.34 against the $2,000 filing fee. I would think that they would have to increase the value of the signatures to make an equal proportion of the filing fee. Is this correct? It doesn’t seem right. Alpine and Tuolumne counties both increase the value of the signatures.