§ 12103 Primary Election Notice Requirements

• •The Secretary of State must send the first notice at least 158 days before the primary.
• •The first notice lists every office that needs a candidate, except county officers and judges.
• •The second notice must be sent at least 125 days before the primary and lists the parties that can run.

A county election office receives a letter 160 days before the primary that says people can run for governor, state senator, and other state jobs, but not for county sheriff or judge. Then, 130 days before the primary, they get another letter that says the Democratic, Republican, and Green parties are allowed to run in the primary.

The letters give the county officials the exact list of jobs and parties they need to put on the ballot, just like the law requires.