The Election date is set for September 14th. What a display of political gymnastics as Democrats passed and overturned their own attempts to give Newsom’s sinking ship some hope.
Now county election officials must scurry to get ready to send ballots out by August 16, as candidates have an extraordinarily short amount of time to get their paperwork in order. Here’s the calendar that was just announced by the Secretary of State:
July 1 – Lt. Governor’s Proclamation calling for the Recall Election on Sept. 14
July 6 – Signatures in lieu of filing fees must be secured from County Elections offices (that will be closed over the three-day weekend…) and turned in to reduce the filing fee.
July 16 – Deadline to purchase 250-word candidate statement in the Voter Guide and file Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination papers. This is also the deadline for County Elections to process Military or Overseas Voter Ballot Applications (will those who qualify even have the opportunity?) And even more blatantly political, this is the deadline for Political Party Endorsements to be received in order to appear on the mailed ballots. The CAGOP plans to meet July 24th, so it will be past the deadline.
July 17 – Deadline for the Secretary of State to post the candidate’s party preference history for the past ten years. Perhaps to fix Gavin Newsom’s flub when he forgot to list he’s a Democrat?
July 19 – Randomized Alphabet Drawing to determine candidate order on the ballot.
July 21 – Certification of Candidates.
August 16 – No later than this date (which means it could be sooner) all Counties must begin to mail out ballots to registered voters. Counties may also begin to process vote-by-mail ballots on this date.
August 17 – Counties open ballot drop-off locations.
August 24 – Last day for Secretary of State to mail Voter Guide to registered voters (and a week after ballots have been mailed).
August 30 – Last day to register to vote. After this date, registration and voting is allowed but ballots are considered “conditional.”
August 31 – Deadline to file Candidate Intention Statement (note this is after ballots should be mailed and ballot order is determined..) and deadline for filing statements of write-in candidacy.
September 4 – Vote Centers Open for every 50,000 registered voters in Voters Choice Act counties (e.g. Sacramento.) This is also the deadline for counties to mail a voter information guide and polling place location to registered voters.
September 7 – Last day for county elections officials to send registered voters a vote-by-mail ballot.
September 9 – Certified List of Write-In Candidates provided to counties.
September 11 – Voters Choice Act counties open more vote centers.
September 13 – Last day to request vote-by-mail ballots due to conditions not allowing the voter to go to a vote center. The voter may designate any authorized representative to receive the ballot and return the voted vote-by-mail ballot. What could go wrong?!?
September 14 – Election Day!
September 21 – Last day for vote-by-mail ballots to be received by county elections.
October 22 – Deadline for Secretary of State to publish the Statement of the Vote.
Click here to view the entire calendar.
Needless-to-say, there will be chaos and political tricks during this process. While we have confidence in our Sacramento County Elections officials, we appreciate that Republicans have stepped up to volunteer as Election Observers, and to work in paid positions inside the Elections office. Please email our Election Integrity Officer, Nina Caron, if you have any questions about our Election Integrity programs. Click on the buttons below to learn more.
