Elections Code section 8600
(a)
Every person who desires to be a write-in candidate and have their name as written on the ballot of an election counted for a particular office shall file both of the following:(1)
A statement of write-in candidacy that contains the following information:(A)
Candidate’s name.(B)
Residence address.(C)
A declaration stating that they are a write-in candidate.(D)
The title of the office for which they are running.(E)
The party nomination which they seek, if running in a partisan primary election.(F)
The date of the election.(G)
A certification of the candidate’s complete voter registration and party affiliation/preference history for the preceding 10 years, or for as long as they have been eligible to vote in the state if less than 10 years, if running for a voter-nominated office.(H)
For any of the offices described in Section 13.5, a statement that the candidate meets the statutory and constitutional requirements for that office as described in that section.(2)
The requisite number of signatures on the nomination papers, if any, required pursuant to Section 8062, 10220, and 10510, or, in the case of a special district not subject to the Uniform District Election Law (Part 4 (commencing with Section 10500) of Division 10), the number of signatures required by the principal act of the district.(b)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person may not be a write-in candidate at the general election for a voter-nominated office.(c)
A write-in candidate shall have their residence address, telephone number, and email address appearing on the affidavit of registration made confidential in accordance with the terms and conditions of Section 2166.9. If a candidate does not state the candidate’s residence address on the statement of write-in candidacy, the elections official shall verify whether the candidate’s address is within the appropriate political subdivision and add the notation “verified” where appropriate on the declaration.
Source:
Section 8600, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC§ionNum=8600. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 15, 2025).
