Although California abolished write-in space in November for Congress and partisan state office, it still allows write-ins in the primary for those offices. Under the top-two system, minor parties sometimes have members who file for write-in status in the primary, in races in which only one person filed to be on the primary ballot. The write-in filing deadline was May 24.
It appears that four Libertarian candidates are guaranteed to come in second in June, because they filed as write-in candidates and no other write-in candidate filed. Therefore these four will appear on the November ballot. They are: (1) State Senate 33rd, Los Angeles County, Mimi Robson; (2) Assembly First, northeast California, Donn Coenen; (3) Assembly Second, north coast, Kenneth Anton; (4) Assembly 51st, Los Angeles, Mike Everling.
Are there any California legislature seats where only a single major party candidate filed, but a minor party candidate is on the primary ballot as well (outside of these four write in candidates)?
No.
Is there a way to get on the general-election ballot in California via a write-in campaign in the primary? In Michigan, it’s possible — but (per MCL 168.582) the write-in candidate has to not only win a spot with a top vote total, he/she must also clear three hurdles by getting at least
* 10 votes;
* 0.15% of the population of the jurisdiction of the office (per the previous census); and
* 5% of the greatest number of votes cast by that party for any office at the primary in the jurisdiction of the office.
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-168-582
California write-in candidates for Congress or partisan state office must receive a number of write-ins such that they place second (among all candidates) in that primary. Even one write-in vote is enough, if the person who receives one write-in vote comes in second. The California Constitution does not permit the legislature to alter this provision. It says whoever comes in first or second then is on the ballot in November. That is one of the philosophical problems of top-two. Someone who gets 33.32% of the vote in June may not be permitted to run in the election itself (if two other candidates each get 33.34%). But someone who gets .00001% of the vote in the primary may be allowed to run, if that weak candidate is one of only two candidates. Thus there is no objective standard of how much support a candidate needs to run in November.
Attention all folks — see 14th Amdt, Sec. 2 — repeat Sec. 2 — about the NO write-in stuff.
How many write-in votes in 1866-1868-1870 ???
Finishing 1st or 2nd is an objective standard.
@John Anthony La Pietra
Write-in candidates in California have to file a petition. The main distinction for write-in candidates are (1) not appearing on the printed ballot; (2) a later filing deadline; and (3) no filing fee.
Write-in candidates are treated as ordinary candidates with regard to filing campaign finance documents and so-called ethics forms, and they do have a party preference.