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HomeElections CodeDiv. 8Pt. 1Ch. 1Art. 5§ 8081 Nomination Signature Verification

§ 8081 Nomination Signature Verification

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 8081 Nomination Signature Verification

Key Takeaways

  • •Before someone can run for office, the county must check the signatures on their nomination papers.
  • •The county checks if the signatures match the ones on file and if the party preference is correct.
  • •If a signature doesn’t match or the party preference is wrong, it gets marked as 'not sufficient'.
  • •Once enough good signatures are found, the county can stop checking the rest.

Example

John wants to run for mayor and collects signatures to get on the ballot.

The county checks each signature to make sure it matches the one on file. If someone signed John’s paper but their signature looks different from the one the county has, it gets marked as 'not sufficient'. If John gets enough good signatures, the county stops checking the rest.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 8081 Nomination Signature Verification

Before any nomination document is filed in the office of the county elections official or forwarded for filing in the office of the Secretary of State, the county elections official shall verify the signatures and the political preferences, if required, of the signers on the nomination paper with the registration affidavits on file in the office of the county elections official. The county elections official shall mark “not sufficient” any signature that does not appear in the same handwriting as appears on the affidavit of registration in his or her office, or that is accompanied by a declaration of party preference that is not in accordance with the declaration of party preference in the affidavit of registration. The county elections official may cease to verify signatures once the minimum requisite number of signatures has been verified. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 1, Sec. 22. (SB 6) Effective January 1, 2010. Operative January 1, 2011, pursuant to Sec. 67 of Ch. 1.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

registrationsecretarynominationpreferencebefore adeclarationoperative januarydocument

Related Statutes

  • § 8040 Candidate Declaration Form
  • § 8105 Candidate Filing Fees
  • § 8600 Write-In Candidate Requirements
  • § 9083.5 Partisan Office Election Procedure
  • § 6767 Peace And Freedom Delegate Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 8081.
View Official Source