Candidate guide - applying to be a candidate

Before receiving nomination documents from the Elections Department you must complete and file the Candidate Application Form either in person or online. If using our web document, you will receive an email with instructions and additional information.

Our office requires a contact email address and phone number on the application. We also ask that you choose one or both so the media and general public may contact you.

If you cannot pick up your nomination papers you may have someone with signed authorization receive your papers for you.

The candidate documents you may receive with descriptions are listed below.

The Declaration of Candidacy form must be completed in the office of the elections official, or signed and witnessed by a registered notary public and filed in the office of the election official with all other required documents by the end of the nomination period. If using an out-of-state notary, a notarial certificate must be included. Election Code §8040

A candidate may authorize in writing to have a person receive and deliver the Declaration of Candidacy. The candidate must indicate that he or she is aware the Declaration must be properly executed and filed with the election official by the end of the nomination period.

Candidates may not file a Declaration of Candidacy form for more than one term of office for the same district, or for more than one district or municipal office at a time. Election Code §8003(b), §10510(b), §10220.5

How do you want your name to appear on the ballot?

Indicate your name preference on the Declaration of Candidacy form.

The name you choose on the Declaration of Candidacy form is the only name that shall be on the ballot and must be written on other candidate papers. A.G. Ops 50-87, 5/27/80

You can keep your voter registration name, or you may designate your name as follows:

• You can use your nickname in quotation marks, along with your legal name on your form. You may also use a first name that you are known by in your community. Either choice must include your registered last name.
• First, middle, and last name.
• Initials only and last name.
• A familiar or common version of the first name such as Bill for William or Becky for Rebecca, etc.

The name you choose to write on the Declaration of Candidacy form is the only name that shall be on the ballot and written on other candidate papers.

You cannot have titles or degrees with your name on the ballot. EC §13106

Ballot designation

On the ballot under your name is the Ballot Designation. It is optional, but if you choose a designation then you must indicate this on the Declaration of Candidacy form.

If you choose not to have a designation, write “NONE” on your Declaration of Candidacy form where it asks for your designation. Also put your initials after the word “NONE.”

If you choose to have a designation you must complete a Ballot Designation Worksheet, but if you do not choose a designation then the worksheet is not required.

The Ballot Designation refers to your current occupation, vocation, profession, or incumbency status. You may list more than one profession, occupation, or vocation, but you must separate them with a slash: Professor/Mother/Doctor.

You are limited to three words. The exception is that an elected official can use the exact title of the office currently held: Director, ABC Fire Protection District.

Note: If you choose words that are very long they may be printed in a smaller font size.

If you decide to use a ballot designation you must fill out a Ballot Designation Worksheet and file it with your candidate papers by the deadline.

California state law requires that your designation describes your current occupation, profession, vocation, or what you did for a living during the 12 months before the filing deadline. The words you choose must be generic and neutral, but accurate and not misleading. (Election Code § 13107).

Primary election candidates, your ballot designation will be the same for both primary and general elections (if applicable), unless at least 98 days before the general election, you request in writing a different designation which you are entitled to use at the time of the request.

Rules for specific types of ballot designations and candidates

If you are an incumbent, you may use:

• Your elected title, even if the title has more than 3 words.
  Example: Board Member, ABC School District
• Your elected position and your other occupation or vocation if using 3 words or less.
  Example: Board Member/Teacher
• The word Incumbent (no other words allowed) if you are filing for the same office you hold now.

Only local candidates do not have to justify the use of the word incumbent or appointed incumbent. You may simply write “current officeholder” in the justification sections or leave it blank. The election staff will stamp as confirmed.

If you are an appointed incumbent, you may use:

• The words Appointed Incumbent (no other words allowed) if you are running for the same office you hold now. Judicial candidates having been appointed to a judicial seat are not required to use this designation and can use Incumbent instead.
• The word Appointed along with your current elected position and the jurisdiction (Appointed Board Member, ABC School District), or the word Appointed along with your current elected position and another designation (Appointed Trustee/Mother).

You may use the words community volunteer if:

• You are substantially involved as a community volunteer with bona fide organizations;
• You do not have another principal occupation or vocation; and
• You do not add any other words to describe another occupation or vocation.

Admin. Code §20714.5

You may use the word retired if:

• You are 55 or older, and worked at your last job or vocation for more than 5 years and left voluntarily;
• A principal source of your income is from a retirement plan or retirement benefits (or you are eligible to receive retirement benefits);
• You cannot use retired if you have had more recent professions, occupations, or vocations; and
• You cannot abbreviate it or place it with another designation.

Admin. Code §20716(h)(1).

Request for supporting documents

Admin. Code §20717.

Candidates are responsible for providing thorough and accurate information. The Elections Department or Secretary of State may request supporting documentation or evidence supporting a candidate’s proposed ballot designation. It is important to accurately complete the worksheet with as much information as you can provide.

Rejection of ballot designations

Election Code §13107.5

Each designation is evaluated based on guidelines and restrictions stated in the Elections Code. Designations will be determined given a candidate’s individual circumstance.

The Secretary of State’s office administers rules and procedures for State and Federal candidates. The worksheet must be fully completed, otherwise it will be rejected and returned by the State.

Candidates are given an opportunity to make a correction. If you do not provide an acceptable alternative designation by the deadline, no ballot designation will be listed after your name.

Some words are not allowed

The following list contains certain designations that are deemed generally not acceptable; however this is only a partial listing.

Do not use words that:

• Evaluate:
  • Examples: outstanding, leading, expert, virtuous, eminent, best, exalted, prominent, activist, reformer, pro, anti.
• Suggest status and not your occupation:
  • Examples: taxpayer, patriot, citizen, renter, presidential appointee, husband, wife, scholar, veteran, concerned citizen, activist
• Suggest a religious or ethnic group:
  • Examples: Asian, Christian, Irish
• Suggest a political party or ideology:
  • Examples: Conservative, Democrat, Republican, Socialism, Absolutism, Anarchist
• Pro Forma positions or vocations:
  • Examples: honorary, hostess, goodwill ambassador (see CA Admin. Code 20716)
• Suggest previous occupations:
  • Examples: former, ex-, past. You may be able to use retired. (see Rules for specific types of ballot designations and candidates above.)
• Name a company, agency or person:
  • Examples: Instead of: IBM President, use: Computer Corporation President
    Instead of: Director, DMV, use: State Agency Director
• Mislead:
  • Examples: An occasional activity, hobby, or position that takes up little of your time. You may have to give proof to support the accuracy of your designation.

Rejection Exceptions

There may be exceptions to the rejection of a designation. Certain designations may be considered depending on the circumstance of each candidate, even if it does not describe a significant involvement on the part of the candidate. Exceptions must be approved by the elections official, with additional clarification of the California Administrative Code.

You have the option to file a 200-word candidate statement to be printed in the Marin County Voter Information Guide. Congressional and State Assembly candidates are allowed 250 words.

You can file a candidate statement in-person at the Election Department or electronically using the Candidate Statement of Qualifications Form. Either way you file a candidate statement, you must follow the rules below:

• File your statement no later than 5 p.m., August 9, 2024. If you are filing for office during an extended nomination period, the deadline is5 p.m., August 14, 2024.
• Our office requires a check as payment for your statement, and it is required when filing your nomination documents.
• If applicable to your candidacy you have the option to print your statement in multiple counties. Each county must receive payment directly from you.
• Review your statement carefully and/or proofread with another person because you are not allowed to correct typos or mistakes after the close of the filing period.
• If you choose to withdraw your statement you must do so by the close of business of the next working day after the close of the nomination period. Your check will be returned to you by mail or you may come to our office.
• Candidate statements must be submitted in electronic version, preferably in Word. Candidates filing a handwritten statement will be charged an additional $150 fee.
• The amount charged for your statement is an estimate of the actual costs that may vary between elections depending on several factors, and is primarily based on the number of registered voters in that jurisdiction.

Content requirements

Your candidate statement may include information about your education, experience, and other qualifications, and shall not include information about your party affiliations, memberships, or activities in any political party organizations. (Election Code §13307(a); §13308) Listing memberships to or affiliations with organizations that are found to have distinct political inclinations may not be accepted.

You shall not directly or indirectly reference any other candidate, nor suggest or imply the qualification of other candidates by stating “I am the only candidate…”, or any other similar wording. If your statement does not comply, the elections official will require changes.

Endorsements

Endorsements by individuals and organizations are allowed but must be verified by written authorization (email is acceptable) directly from the endorsers. The endorsement must include the candidate’s name, the elective office, the date of the election, and the name of the endorser.

The use of non-endorsing individual or organization’s name in a statement is only allowed if being used exclusively as biographical information.

Formatting requirements

All candidate statements must be uniform in type and size, and single-spaced lines.

• No ALL CAPS (use upper and lower case).
• No italics, no bold, no underlining, no highlighting.
• No clusters of exclamation points!!!!
• No bullets or numbered lists (we will replace with semicolons and wrap text)./li>
• Indents are allowed.
• 200 words maximum based on rules specified in Elections Code §9.
• Word count begins after “Education and Qualifications” on a Candidate Statement.

Your name must match your name on the ballot. Variations are not allowed. Age and Occupation are optional.

Occupation must refer to your current employment or vocation, or status as an active licensed professional even if not currently employed as such, for example, physician or attorney.

Your statement must fit in a quarter page area. If needed we will adjust the font size and spacing of your statement. An example is shown below:

Sample Format

STATEMENT OF CANDIDATE
MEMBER, CITY COUNCIL
Greatest City

JANE CITIZEN                                                                    AGE: 35
Occupation: Manager, Parent, Writer
Education and Qualifications:
I can bring to the office a diversity of viewpoints and experience. Born and raised in the San Francisco area, with my family still farming, I can appreciate the concerns of the environmentalists.
With my experience in the rental and real estate field, I appreciate the practical housing choices and frustrations with high rental cost.
I advocate a program to protect our neighborhoods from increasing overcrowding and visual blight. As a Member of the City Council, I would bring balanced points of view.
I am endorsed by Dr. Fig Newton, the Council of Likable Folks, and the Association of Amazing Shovels.
I humbly ask for your vote.
Jane Doe
www.jdcandidate.com

How to count words

Candidate statements are limited to a certain number of words. The rules below explain how we count words. These rules are based on California law. Before you file your statement count the words carefully. If you have too many words we will ask you to revise your text.

• Items counted as 1 word
  • Symbols and numerals with symbols that form a single word:
    • Examples: &, #, %, 100s, $1000, 10¢, 12th
• Abbreviations and acronyms
  • Examples: Dist., UCLA, U.S.M.C., FYI
• All dates in any form
  • Examples: 7/21/89, or July 4, 1776
• Numbers and phone numbers:
  • Examples: 12, 1,000,000, 415-473-6456
• Website and e-mail addresses:
  • Examples: www.marinvotes.org; elections @ marincounty.org
• Proper nouns, including the names of people, places, and certain things; and official names of jurisdictions and districts:
  • Examples: New Jersey, County of Marin, Tamalpais Union High School District, Marin General Hospital, Bob Hope, Internal Revenue Service, Ford F150
• Hyphenated words listed in a standard U.S. dictionary published within 10 years before the date of the election:
  • Examples: Attorney-at-law, ex-president, merry-go-round, seventy-two
• Items not counted as 1 word:
  • Numbers written as words:
    • Examples: one hundred
• Groups of common nouns not definable as proper nouns:
  • Examples: peck of pickled peppers, political veteran, presiding judge

• Items not counted:

  • Punctuation marks:
    • Examples: ? “ ” !

  We do not count any part of the “Occupation” section, or the words “Education and Qualifications” on a Candidate Statement.

Candidate statement fees

Candidates must pay a fee to have their statement printed in the Marin County Voter Information Guide. If you wish to have your statement printed in Spanish there are additional charges including a translation fee.

You must provide a blank check made payable to the Marin County Elections Department. On the memo line of your check, write “not to exceed” in the amount provided by the elections official. The following page shows a sample of how your check should look.

Estimated fees are based on processing, printing, mailing expenses, and the number of registered voters from the last report filed with the State prior to the end of the applicable nomination period.

The fee is affected by the total number of registered voters allowed to vote in your jurisdiction through election day. You will not be charged more than the estimate, and your check will not be cashed until after the election when the costs have been finalized. Please be sure to plan for this in your checking account.

The chart below lists previous voter totals in blocks that are based on the size of known jurisdictions. For example countywide contests will traditionally have between 170,000 to 180,000 registered voters. When you are ready to deliver your check, the elections official will confirm the number of registered voters for your contest, and apply that number to the voter totals to find the estimated fee of your statement.

For NTE baseline reference only.
The exact cost will be provided after the election.

Sample of Candidate Statement Check:

• Candidates must provide a blank check made payable to the Marin County Elections Department
• Write Not to Exceed $(estimated cost) in the memo space of the check
• The Elections Department will determine the final amount after determining all associated costs

The Political Reform Act requires candidates and officeholders to publicly disclose their personal assets and income from the previous calendar year, and also disqualify themselves from participating in decisions that may affect their economic interests.

Included with your candidate papers will be the Form 700, and the reference pamphlet, both with detailed instructions and information. You must complete and file it with your other candidate documents, or no later than the close of the nomination period.

The Form 700 is a public document, made available by request and/or posted on our web portal. The form can be filed by paper version or with our e-filing program.

If you are elected or appointed to office you must file this form annually, even when you leave office.

Things you need to know…

• You must account for the previous calendar year or 12 month period.
• Salaries, including spouses are mostly reportable, but not government salaries.
• Do not list your personal residence unless it is used as a reportable home-based business, business rental, or claimed as a business deduction.
• Reportable stocks, trusts, and investments are discussed in the Reference Pamphlet and the Form 700 instructions. It defines applicable direct, indirect, or beneficial interests in which you, your spouse or partner, or your dependent children had during the reporting period that should be reported.
• There are restrictions on certain gifts, honoraria, travel, and loans. Local elected officers, and candidates for local elective office, may not accept gifts from any single source totaling more than $590 in a calendar year (adjusted biennially).
• The Form 700 is amendable at any time and for any reason.
• For more information go to the Fair Political Practices Commission website.