Dear Candidate,
Welcome to November 7, 2000 general election cycle.
Regardless of who wins, it is hoped that this is a positive experience for you.
The Elections Department is dedicated to helping all
qualified candidates get their names printed on the ballot and to ensuring that the
election is fair and accurate.
For the uninitiated, the process can be confusing,
with resulting errors and misunderstandings. Although this handbook is a guide for
candidates, it is for general information only and does not have the force and effect of
law, regulation, or rule. In case of conflict, the law, regulation, or rule will apply.
Candidates and others using this handbook must bear full responsibility to make their own
determinations as to all legal standards and duties.
The best advice I can give to all candidates is FILE
EARLY. The filing deadlines are rigid and if one waits until the last moment to file a
document containing errors or omissions, one's right to appear on the ballot may be lost.
Most errors can be corrected given adequate time.
We hope you find this Candidate's Handbook useful.
Should you have any suggestions for improving the manual or have identified corrections to
be made, please call Elections Manager Gail Pellerin at 831-454-2419 or e-mail her at gail.pellerin@co.santa-cruz.ca.us
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Richard
W. Bedal
County Clerk
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Click Here to Download the Handbook as a Word Document
Click Here to Download the Handbook as an Adobe Acrobat File
COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT
STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICES
CANDIDATE CHECKLIST
CANDIDATE FILING DOCUMENTS
- Declaration of Candidacy
- Candidate's Statement of Qualifications
- Candidate Intention, Bank Account, & Campaign Disclosure
Forms
- Code of Fair Campaign Practices
- Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700)
GENERAL ELECTION CALENDAR
- Candidate Nomination Period
- Extension of Nomination Period
- Insufficient Number of Nominees
- Randomized Alphabet Drawing
- Counties Mail Sample Ballots / State Ballot Pamphlet Mailing
- Last Day to Register to Vote in the November Election
- Vote-by-Mail Ballot Application Period
- Absentee Ballots – Late Conditions
- Weekend Voting
- General Election Day
- Declaration of Elected Candidates
- Board of Supervisors to Appoint Candidates In-Lieu of
Election
- Assuming Office
- Statement of Vote to Board of Supervisors –
Certificates of Election Prepared
- Recount May Be Requested
- Contesting Election
- Statement of Economic Interests – All newly elected
officials
- County Supervisors & Judges Assume Office
OFFICES ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT
Residence and Domicile
NAME & BALLOT DESIGNATION
- Name on Ballot
- Ballot Designation - Legislative Requirements
- Titles or Degrees Prohibited
- Unacceptable Designations
- If Ballot Designation is Rejected
- Ballot Designation May Not be Changed After Filing
- Ballot Designation in Both Primary and General Elections
- Format of Ballot Designation
- No Ballot Designation
SECRETARY OF STATE Ballot Designation Regulations
WRITE-IN CANDIDACY
- Write-In Procedure
- Offices Omitted From the Ballot
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
- Signature & Filing Fee Requirements
CANDIDATE STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
- PERIOD FOR FILING:
- WHERE:
- HOW TO WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE'S STATEMENT
THE PRINTED CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT
COST OF PRINTING CANDIDATE'S STATEMENTS
HOW TO COUNT WORDS
REGISTRATION AND ELECTION DATA
- Permissible Usage
- Prohibited Usage
Election Data For Sale From Santa Cruz County
- Walking Lists
- Printed Voter Indexes by Street or Alpha
- Voter Lists on 3 ½" Floppy Disk
- Voter Lists on CD
- Voter File Tapes
- Mailing Labels of Voters or Households
- Maps
- Daily Absentee Voter Printout
- Photocopying
- Secretary of State Voter File Tapes
Voter Registration and Vote-by-Mail Drives
CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
- MASS MAILING
- SLATE MAILERS
- NOMINATIONS
- CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES
- MISREPRESENTATION BY CANDIDATES
- POLITICAL ADVERTISING
- SIMULATED BALLOTS
- POLITICAL SIGNS
- POLLING PLACE INFORMATION
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS
- Campaign Disclosure Information Manuals
- Candidate Intention and Bank Account (501 & 502)
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE FORMS
- Campaign Disclosures for Federal Candidates
- Filing is the Responsibility of the Candidate and/or
Committee
- Multiple Committee Filing Requirements
CAMPAIGN FILING SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER 7, 2000
CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROHIBITIONS
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS OFTEN OVERLOOKED
STATEMENT OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS (FORM 700)
- Who Must File
- What Must be Disclosed
- When and Where to File
ELECTIONEERING ON ELECTION DAY
ELECTION NIGHT RESULTS
THE CANVASS
QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED BY CANDIDATES
