What types of elections are there?
There are three basic types -- primary, general and local. In addition, "special elections" can be called which are limited to one specific purpose, e.g., filling a vacancy.
What is a primary election?
There are two types of primary elections. In a Presidential primary election, voters registered with a political party select the candidate who will represent that party on the ballot in the next general election in November. In its statewide primary, California now has a Top Two Open Primary system, which means that all candidates running for state constitutional, U.S. Congressional, and state legislative offices will be listed on a single statewide primary election ballot. Voters can vote for the candidate of their choice for these offices, regardless of how they are registered. The top two candidates, as determined by the voters, will advance to the general election in November.
In a Presidential primary election, if you are registered to vote with a political party, you will be given a ballot for that party. Each political party has the option of allowing decline-to-state voters to vote in their Presidential primary. Find out how to vote for President based on your party affiliation.
When are primary elections held?
The statewide primary is held in June of even-numbered years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday. The California Legislature sets the Presidential primary date.
What is a general election?
The general election is one that is held in the whole state and is not limited to voters in a particular party or a specific locality.
When are general elections held?
The statewide general election is held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in even-numbered years. The general election for the President is held quadrennially on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.
What is the purpose of a general election?
The purpose of a Presidential general election is to make a final choice among the various candidates who have been nominated by parties or who are running as independent or write-in candidates. In addition, where nonpartisan races have not been decided in the primary, the runoffs are held at the general election. The purpose of the statewide general election for given state and congressional offices is for voters to make a final choice between the top two-vote getters in the statewide primary election. Statewide measures also can be placed on the November ballot.
What is a nonpartisan office?
It is an office for which candidates' names appear on the ballot without party designation. No party may nominate a candidate for nonpartisan office.
Which offices are nonpartisan?
Local offices such as most city council members, county supervisors, all school boards, all judgeships, including the statewide office of member of the California Supreme Court. The statewide offices of Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner are nonpartisan.
Are there nonpartisan primaries?
Yes. Some local nonpartisan primaries such as those for judges are usually held at the same time as the statewide regular primary. A candidate for a nonpartisan office who is on the primary ballot is selected if he or she wins more than 50% of the vote. If not, there is a runoff election in November between the top two candidates.
Do all nonpartisan offices use primaries?
No, some nonpartisan offices, such as most city councils and school boards, do not use primaries. Candidates run as independents and the person with the most votes wins even if it is not a majority.
When are local elections held and how do I learn about them?
There is no set time or method that applies to all city, county, school or special district elections. If you are a registered voter you will receive a Sample Ballot before the election. This provides basic information you need about who is running for what office and whether there are any local ballot measures. Most local offices are nonpartisan and candidates run without party affiliation noted on the ballot. You can always check VotersEdge.org for more information about your local elections.
What is a voter-nominated office?
The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act, which took effect January 1, 2011, created "voter-nominated" offices. The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act does not apply to candidates running for U.S. President, county central committees, or local offices.
Most of the offices that were previously known as "partisan" are now known as "voter-nominated" offices. Voter-nominated offices are state constitutional offices, state legislative offices, and U.S. congressional offices. The only "partisan offices" now are the offices of U.S. President and county central committee.
How are primary elections conducted in California?
All candidates for voter-nominated offices are listed on one ballot and only the top two vote-getters in the primary election – regardless of party preference - move on to the general election. Write-in candidates for voter-nominated offices can only run in the primary election. A write-in candidate will only move on to the general election if the candidate is one of the top two vote-getters in the primary election.
Prior to the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act, the top vote-getter from each qualified political party, as well as any write-in candidate who received a certain percentage of votes, moved on to the general election.
The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act does not apply to candidates running for U.S. President, county central committee, or local office.
How are presidential primary elections conducted in California?
Qualified political parties in California may hold presidential primaries in one of two ways:
- Closed presidential primary - only voters indicating a preference for a party may vote for that party's presidential nominee.
- Modified-closed presidential primary - the party also allows voters who did not state a party preference to vote for that party's presidential nominee.
If a qualified political party chooses to hold a modified-closed presidential primary, the party must notify the California Secretary of State no later than the 135th day before Election Day.
Voters who registered to vote without stating a political party preference are known as No Party Preference [NPP] voters. For information on NPP voters voting in a presidential primary election, please see our webpage on No Party Preference Information.
What do party preferences mean when listed with candidates' names on the ballot? What are the qualified political parties and abbreviations of those party names?
The term "party preference" is now used in place of the term "party affiliation." A candidate must indicate his or her preference or lack of preference for a qualified political party. If the candidate has a qualified political party preference that qualified political party will be indicated by the candidate's name on the ballot. If a candidate does not have a qualified political party preference, "Party Preference: None" will be indicated by the candidate's name on the ballot.
Similarly, voters who were previously known as "decline-to-state" voters [because they did not have a party affiliation] are now known as having "no party preference" or known as "NPP" voters.
Abbreviations for the qualified political parties are:
- DEM = Democratic Party
- REP = Republican Party
- AI = American Independent Party
- GRN = Green Party
- LIB = Libertarian Party
- PF = Peace & Freedom Party
If a candidate receives a majority of the vote [50 percent+1] in the primary election, will there still be a general election?
Yes. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election regardless of party preference or whether one candidate receives a majority of all votes cast in the primary election. Only candidates running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction or candidates for voter-nominated offices in special elections can win outright by getting a majority of the vote [50 percent + 1] in the primary election.
If there are only two candidates in the primary election, is a general election required?
Yes. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election regardless of candidate pool size, party preference, or whether one candidate receives the majority of all votes cast in the primary election. Only candidates running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction or candidates for voter-nominated offices in special elections can win outright by getting a majority of the vote [50 percent + 1] in the primary election.
Which candidates can still run in the general election?
Candidates running for a voter-nominated office cannot run in the general election without having been one of the top two vote-getters in the primary election [see "What is a voter-nominated office?" above].
Candidates running for the office of U.S. President, however, can run in the general election as either a Presidential Elector using the independent nomination process or a Presidential Elector write-in candidate.
For more information about running for office, see Candidate Resources.
Can independent or write-in candidates for voter-nominated offices run in the general election?
No. All candidates, including candidates who would have used the former independent nomination process, are allowed to run for a voter-nominated office in a primary election. All primary candidates for an office are listed on a single ballot, and only the two candidates who get the most votes in the primary election will move on to the general election.
Write-in candidates for voter-nominated offices can still run in the primary election. However, a write-in candidate can only move on to the general election if the candidate is one of the top two vote-getters in the primary election.
Candidates running for the office of U.S. President, however, can run in the general election as either a Presidential Elector using the independent nomination process or a Presidential Elector write-in candidate.