California will hold a special election on June 26 to fill the vacancy in the 37th U.S. House district, caused when Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald died earlier this month. Filing closes May 14. The district is overwhelmingly Democratic. Probably many Democrats will file, and it is likely that none of them will get a majority. If no one gets 50% in the first election, a run-off will be held on August 21, between the top vote-getters from each party.
I can’t resist, but what are the requirements for an independent candidate? Do they have to get an excessive number of signatures?
Elections Code Section 8400: “Nomination papers for Representative in Congress, State Senator or Assembly Member, to be voted for at a special election to fill a vacancy, shall be signed by voters in the district not less in number than 500 or 1 percent of the entire vote cast in the area at the preceding general election, whichever is less, nor more than 1,000.”
Elections Code Section 10704: “… nomination papers shall not be circulated more than 63 days before the primary election, shall be left with the county elections official for examination not less than 43 days before the primary election …”
Hope this helps.
Thanks. 500 doesn’t sound like a lot on paper, but having worked the streets for other efforts, it is a painful amount. Partisan candidates need only gather 40-60 signatures. Secretary of State Qualifications Link
This election is labeled a “Primary”, however, it allows for a winner if a majority of the votes are received by any one candidate. The burden for an Independent candidate shouldn’t be greater than for other partisan candidates. A Special Election like this isn’t really a “Primary” as it doesn’t restrict the voters to vote within their own party.
Didn’t Arianna Huffington sue on this issue during the Special Gubernatorial Election in 2003 and gain access to the ballot as an “Indpendent”?