HOW TO QUALIFY A NEW POLITICAL PARTY:
Qualified political parties are entitled to have candidates identified
with that political party standing for partisan offices on the ballot. In order for a
party to have such identified candidates, that party must have already qualified to
participate in the primary election or, if not qualified, must have completed all the
qualification requirements by the 135th day (January 23, 2006 – actual deadline falls
on a weekend, so it is moved to the next business day) before the next following primary
election on June 6, 2006.
Political bodies can qualify by registration or by petition for the
2006 Primary election. The number of registrants or petition signers is based on a
percentage of the number of persons (7,738,821) who voted at the November 2, 2004 General
Election.
To qualify a new political party by registration requires that 77,389
persons (one percent) complete an affidavit of registration, on which they have written in
the proposed party name as the party they affiliate with. These affidavits of registration
must be completed and mailed in by the 154th day before the primary election, which is
January 4, 2006.
To qualify a new political party by petition requires that 773,883
persons (ten percent) sign a petition seeking the inclusion of the proposed party in the
party nominating process at the June 6, 2006 Primary election. These petitions must be
filed with the several counties by the proponent in such time that the counties verify the
signatures and certify the counts to the Secretary of State who certifies the proposed
party’s qualification not later than the 135th day before the primary election.
A process, allowing political bodies to become political parties, is
contained in Division 5 of the Elections Code. To begin the process of qualifying, a
political body should follow the procedure described in Sections 5001 through 5003 of the
California Elections Code.
Parties currently attempting to qualify for the June 2006 Primary:
The Conscious American African Party
The Egalitarian Party
The God, Truth and Love Party
The Humanitarian Party
Parliament Party
Pot Party
Reform Party of California
Scientifically Evolving University Party
The United Conscious Builders of the Dream Party
History of Disqualifications:
In recent history, the Peace & Freedom Party was disqualified as a
political party eligible to participate in the March 2000 Primary because at the November
1998 gubernatorial general election none of the Peace and Freedom Party candidates
received at least 2 percent of the entire vote of the state. The party requalified after
the February 10, 2003 Secretary of State Report of Registration because the party had
79,462 registered voters.
The Reform Party was disqualified as a political party eligible to
participate in the March 2004 Primary because at the November 2002 general election none
of the Reform Party candidates received at least 2 percent of the entire vote of the
state. The party is attempting to qualify for the June Primary. The party must obtain the
required number of registered voters (77,389) or signatures required for petition
(773,883) affiliating with their party by the deadlines provided above in order to
participate in the June 6, 2006 Primary. (Elec. Code §5100)
EXTENSION FOR FILING:
There is no extension for Central Committees or County Council ( §8020, 8024). The deadline for filing for office is 88 days before the
election.
While the code specifically calls for a 5-day extension for some
offices should the incumbent not file for office, there is no such code section calling
for an extension of central committee or county council offices. Therefore nominations
will close on March 10, 2006
CONDITIONS FOR CONTEST TO APPEAR ON BALLOT:
DEMOCRATIC |
Candidates do not appear on the ballot unless there is a sufficient number of candidates to cause a contested race.
Or, if there is an insufficient number of candidates, voters may by E 68 submit a petition signed by 25 qualified voters to run a write in campaign. In that case, the contest would appear on the ballot.
In lieu of an election, the Board of Supervisors shall declare the candidates for central committee elected. (§7228, 7423, 7673, 7772.). |
| REPUBLICAN |
| AMERICAN INDEPENDENT |
| LIBERTARIAN |
| GREEN |
| NATURAL LAW |
| PEACE AND FREEDOM |
CONDITIONS FOR CANDIDATE TO APPEAR ON BALLOT:
DEMOCRATIC |
Must file Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Petition with 20 valid signatures for the office of Central Committee. (§7227, 7422, 7672) |
| REPUBLICAN |
| AMERICAN INDEPENDENT |
| GREEN |
Must file Declaration
of Candidacy and Nomination Petition for the office of County Council with the lesser of:
20
valid signatures or Not
less than 2 percent of the number of voters registered as affiliated with the Green Party
in the county council election district.
No more than 7 candidates may appear on one Nomination Petition.
(Pursuant to Green Party County Council rules)
Pursuant to Green Party rules, and upheld by court ruling, nominees for
partisan offices do not automatically appear on the ballot for County Council as is the
case for the parties below. |
| NATURAL LAW |
Candidates must do one of the following:
-
Filed a Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Petition for the office of Central Committee with the lesser of:
20 valid signatures, or Not less than 2 percent of the number of voters registered as affiliated with the party in the central committee election district. (§7776)
Up to three candidates for member of central committees in a single central committee election district may have their names listed on a single sponsor's certificate, and the signatures thereon shall be counted toward the sponsor requirement of each and every candidate whose name is listed on the certificate. However, in no case shall the number of candidates having their names on a sponsor's certificate exceed the number of members of central committees to be elected in the district (Elections Code §7777); or
-
Qualified to have her or his name printed on the primary ballot as a candidate for the party nomination to any partisan office. (§7772)
A person qualifying as a candidate for member of central committee by virtue of qualification to have her or his name appear on the primary ballot for any other partisan public office shall have her or his name listed on the ballot for member of central committee only in the central committee election district of her or his residence. Therefore, candidates running for Congress appear on the central committee ballot in their residence county even though they may not reside in the congressional district for which he/she is running. (§7774)
|
| PEACE AND FREEDOM |
PARTIES NOT HAVING A COUNTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE ELECTION:
LIBERTARIAN |
In a letter to the Secretary of State dated January 19, 2006 the Libertarian Party served notice that they shall not have a county central committee election. (§7770) |
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND OFFICE TERMS:
Office |
Jurisdiction |
Term |
Begins |
Qualifications |
Central Committees:
- Republican
- Democratic
- American Independent
|
County – elected by
Supervisorial District |
2 years |
See party
code |
U.S. citizen, resident
eligible to vote in the Supervisorial District the candidate seeks to represent. (Elec.
Code §7200, 7209, 7242, 7407, 7420, 7443, 7650, 7654, 7670, 7692,8001) |
Central Committees
- Natural Law
- Peace & Freedom
|
County – elected at large |
2 years |
See party code |
U.S. citizen, resident
eligible to vote in the county. Candidates who qualify for party nomination to partisan
public office will automatically appear on the ballot for central committee. (Elec. Code
§7750, 7753, 7882, 8001) |
| County Council
|
County – elected at large |
2 years |
See party code |
U.S. citizen, resident
eligible to vote in the county. (Elec. Code §7750, 7753, 7882, 8001) |
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS:
The elected partisan officials or nominees of the following parties are ex-officio
members of the central committee in the county where they reside. ( §7207, 7405, 7652):
|
