reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13102.

13102. (a) All voting shall be by ballot. There shall be provided, at each polling place, at each election at which public officers are to be voted for, but one form of ballot for all candidates for public office, except that, for partisan primary elections, one form of ballot shall be provided for each qualified political party as well as one form of nonpartisan ballot, in accordance with subdivision (b).
(b) At partisan primary elections, each voter not registered disclosing a preference for any one of the political parties participating in the election shall be furnished only a nonpartisan ballot, unless the voter requests a ballot of a political party and that political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a person who has declined to disclose a party preference to vote the ballot of that political party. The nonpartisan ballot shall contain only the names of all candidates for nonpartisan offices, voter-nominated offices, and measures to be voted for at the primary election. Each voter registered as preferring a political party participating in the election shall be furnished only a ballot for which the voter disclosed a party preference in accordance with Section 2151 or 2152 and the nonpartisan ballot, both of which shall be printed together as one ballot in the form prescribed by Section 13207.
(c) A political party may adopt a party rule in accordance with subdivision (b) that authorizes a person who has declined to disclose a party preference to vote the ballot of that political party at the next ensuing partisan primary election. The political party shall notify the party chair immediately upon adoption of that party rule. The party chair shall provide written notice of the adoption of that rule to the Secretary of State not later than the 135th day before the partisan primary election at which the vote is authorized.
(d) The county elections official shall maintain a record of which political party’s ballot was requested pursuant to subdivision (b), or whether a nonpartisan ballot was requested, by each person who declined to disclose a party preference. The record shall be made available to any person or committee who is authorized to receive copies of the printed roster for primary and general elections pursuant to Section 2184. A record produced pursuant to this subdivision shall be made available in either a printed or electronic format, as requested by the authorized person or committee.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 497, Sec. 106. (AB 991) Effective January 1, 2020.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13103.

13103. Every ballot shall contain all of the following:
(a) The title of each office, arranged to conform as nearly as practicable to the plan set forth in this chapter.
(b) The names of all qualified candidates, except that:
(1) Instead of the names of candidates for delegate to the national conventions, there shall be printed the names of the presidential candidates to whom they are pledged or the names of candidates for chairmen of party national convention delegations.
(2) Instead of the names of candidates for presidential electors, there shall be printed in pairs the names of the candidates of the respective parties for President and Vice President of the United States. These names shall appear under the title “President and Vice President.”
(c) The titles and summaries of measures submitted to vote of the voters.
(Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13104.

13104. (a) If a candidate changes their name within one year of any election, the new name shall not appear upon the ballot unless the change was made by either of the following:
(1) Marriage.
(2) Decree of any court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) This section does not apply to candidates for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 72, Sec. 2. (SB 437) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13105.

13105. (a) In the case of a candidate for a voter-nominated office in a primary election, a general election, or a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of United States Senator, Member of the United States House of Representatives, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly, immediately to the right of and following the name of the candidate, or immediately below the name if there is not sufficient space on the same line to the right of the name, there shall be identified in at least 8-point type, as specified by the Secretary of State, the designation made by the candidate pursuant to Section 8002.5. The identification shall be in substantially the following form:
(1) In the case of a candidate who designated a political party preference pursuant to Section 8002.5, “Party Preference: ______.”
(2) In the case of a candidate who did not state a preference for a political party pursuant to Section 8002.5, “Party Preference: None.”
(b) In the case of candidates for President and Vice President, the name of the party shall appear to the right of and equidistant from the pair of names of these candidates and on the same line as the name of the candidate for President, or immediately below the name of the vice presidential candidate if there is not sufficient space to the right of the name.
(c) If for a general election any candidate for President of the United States or Vice President of the United States has received the nomination of any additional party or parties, the name(s) shall be printed to the right of the name of the candidate’s own party, or immediately below the name if there is not sufficient space to the right of the name. Party names of a candidate shall be separated by commas. If a candidate has qualified for the ballot by virtue of an independent nomination, the word “Independent” shall be printed instead of the name of a political party in accordance with the above rules.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 14. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13106.

13106. No title or degree shall appear on the same line on a ballot as a candidate’s name, either before or after the candidate’s name, in the case of any election to any office.
(Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13107.3.

13107.3. (a) A candidate who submits a ballot designation pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13107 shall file a ballot designation worksheet that supports the use of that ballot designation by the candidate, in a format prescribed by the Secretary of State.
(b) The ballot designation worksheet shall be filed with the elections official at the same time that the candidate files his or her declaration of candidacy.
(c) In the event that a candidate fails to file a ballot designation worksheet in accordance with subdivision (a), no designation shall appear under the candidate’s name on the ballot.
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 547, Sec. 3. (AB 1572) Effective January 1, 2010.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13107.5.

13107.5. (a) A candidate’s ballot designation as “community volunteer” shall constitute a valid principal vocation or occupation for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 13107, if not otherwise in violation of any of the restrictions set forth in that section, and subject to the following conditions:
(1) A candidate’s community volunteer activities constitute his or her principal profession, vocation, or occupation.
(2) A candidate is not engaged concurrently in another principal profession, vocation, or occupation.
(3) A candidate may not use the designation of “community volunteer” in combination with any other principal profession, vocation, or occupation designation.
(b) The Secretary of State shall by regulation define what constitutes a community volunteer for purposes of this section.
(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 364, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13108.

13108. (a) At the first elections for Representative in Congress, State Senator, Member of the Assembly, and Member of the Board of Equalization in each congressional, senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization district following the adjustment of the boundary lines of the congressional, senatorial, Assembly, and Board of Equalization districts by the Citizens Redistricting Commission pursuant to Section 6 of Article IV, Section 17 of Article XIII, and Section 1 of Article XXI, of the California Constitution, that candidate who shall be deemed the incumbent in a given district for purposes of the election shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical boundaries and number as the district from which he or she was last elected.
(b) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a) applies, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical boundaries as the district from which he or she was last elected, but that has a different number.
(c) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a) or (b) apply, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that contains some portion of the territory previously contained within the district from which he or she was last elected. However, in a new district that contains portions of the territory of more than one former district, the incumbent shall be that candidate the greater portion of the population, as determined by the most recent federal decennial census, of whose former district is included within the new district.
(d) In the event there is no candidate to whom subdivision (a), (b), or (c) apply, the incumbent shall be that candidate who is running for the same office that he or she then holds, and who is running for reelection in a district that has the identical number as the district from which he or she was last elected. However, a candidate for the office of Member of the Assembly shall be considered the incumbent in this case only if the district bearing the same number is located in the same county as the district that previously bore that number.
(e) If there is no candidate in a given district to which any of the above provisions apply, the incumbent shall be the person who is a candidate for the same office that he or she then holds who fulfills the residency requirements of law for candidacy within the district.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 887, Sec. 1. (AB 1752) Effective January 1, 2015.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13109.5.

13109.5. Notwithstanding anything in Section 13109 to the contrary, and to facilitate compliance with Section 13206, the elections official may list the offices specified in subdivision (h) of Section 13109 directly after the offices specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 13109, when the offices specified in those subsections are on the ballot, or at the end of the ballot in elections at which the offices specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 13109 are not listed on the ballot.
(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 1, Sec. 47. (SB 6) Effective January 1, 2010. Operative January 1, 2011, pursuant to Sec. 67 of Ch. 1.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13109.8.

13109.8. For the purposes of Sections 13109.7 and 13109.9, the order of precedence of offices on the ballot shall be as listed below for those offices and measures that apply to the election for which the ballot is provided. Beginning in the column to the left:
(a) Under the heading, CITY/LOCAL:
(1) Mayor.
(2) Member, City Council.
(3) Unified School District Board Members.
(4) High School District Board Members.
(5) Elementary School District Board Members.
(6) College District Governing Board Members.
(7) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.
(8) Candidates or nominees to the State Senate.
(9) Candidates or nominees to the State Assembly.
(10) Candidates or nominees to the House of Representatives of the United States.
(11) City local initiatives and ballot measures.
(12) Local school district initiatives and ballot measures.
(b) Under the heading, DISTRICT:
(1) Directors or trustees for each district in alphabetical order according to the name of the district.
(2) District initiatives and ballot measures.
(c) Under the heading, COUNTY:
(1) County Supervisor.
(2) Sheriff.
(3) Assessor.
(4) County Superintendent of Schools.
(5) County Board of Education.
(6) Other offices in alphabetical order by the title of the office.
(7) Judge of the Superior Court.
(8) County Marshall.
(9) Members of the County Central Committee.
(10) County initiatives and ballot measures.
(d) Under the heading, STATE:
(1) Governor.
(2) Lieutenant Governor.
(3) Secretary of State.
(4) Controller.
(5) Treasurer.
(6) Attorney General.
(7) Insurance Commissioner.
(8) Member, State Board of Equalization.
(9) Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(10) Statewide initiatives and ballot measures.
(e) Under the heading, STATE JUDICIAL:
(1) Chief Justice of California.
(2) Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
(3) Presiding Judge, Court of Appeal.
(4) Associate Justice, Court of Appeal.
(f) Under the heading, NATIONAL ELECTION:
(1) Under the subheading, PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT:
(A) Nominees of the qualified political parties and independent nominees for President and Vice President.
(B) Names of the presidential candidates to whom the delegates are pledged.
(C) Names of the chairperson of unpledged delegations.
(2) Candidates or nominees to the United States Senate.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 927, Sec. 2. (SB 25) Effective January 1, 2019.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13109.9.

13109.9. Notwithstanding Section 13109, the county elections official for the County of Los Angeles may use the alternate ballot order described in Sections 13109.8 and 13109.10 for elections conducted after the completion of the pilot project described in Section 13109.7. Notwithstanding any other law, the county elections official may adjust ballot instructions to the extent necessary to conform to the alternate ballot order.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 316, Sec. 3. (AB 1495) Effective January 1, 2022.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13109.10.

13109.10. (a) When a special election to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate is consolidated with the regularly scheduled election for that office for the term following the term in which the vacancy occurred, the order of precedence of offices on the ballot for the County of Los Angeles shall be as listed in this section. Beginning in the column to the left:
(1) Under the heading, REGULAR ELECTION:
Candidates or nominees to the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate, as applicable, for the term following the term in which the vacancy occurred.
(2) Under the heading, SPECIAL ELECTION:
Candidates or nominees to the State Senate, State Assembly, United States House of Representatives, or United States Senate, as applicable, for the remainder of the term in which the vacancy occurred.
(3) All other offices and measures shall be listed after the offices listed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) according to the alternate ballot order described in Section 13109.8.
(b) This section shall remain in effect only until the first January 1 that occurs at least four years after the declaration date described in subdivision (a) of Section 13109.7, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 316, Sec. 4. (AB 1495) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed on date prescribed by its own provisions.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13110.

13110. The group of names of candidates for any partisan office, voter-nominated office, or nonpartisan office shall be the same on the ballots of all voters entitled to vote for candidates for that office, except that in partisan primary elections, the names of candidates for nomination to partisan office shall appear only on the ballots of the political party, the nomination of which they seek, and candidates for election to a political party committee shall appear only on the ballots of the political party for which the candidate seeks election.
(Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 1, Sec. 48. (SB 6) Effective January 1, 2010. Operative January 1, 2011, pursuant to Sec. 67 of Ch. 1.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13113.

13113. (a) In the case of an election of candidates in a special district, school district, charter city (whose charter does not provide to the contrary), or other local government body, occurring on other than one of the election dates specified in subdivision (b) of Section 13112, the official responsible for conducting the election shall, at the same time that the election is called, notify the Secretary of State by registered mail of the date of the election, the date of the close of filing, and the last possible date for filing in the event there is an extension of filing due to an incumbent failing to file. The Secretary of State shall conduct a randomized alphabet drawing pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 13112 on the first weekday following the last possible day of filing in the event there is an extension for the election.
(b) Except as provided for runoff elections in subdivision (d), if two or more drawings for local government elections would occur on the same date, the Secretary of State may use a single randomized alphabet drawing for all of these elections. The Secretary of State shall communicate the results of the drawing by registered mail to each respective official responsible for conducting the election who shall use it to determine the order on the ballot of all candidates’ names.
(c) All drawings held pursuant to this section shall be open to the public.
(d) If a charter city conducts a runoff election, it shall use the results of a randomized alphabet drawing separate from the results of the randomized alphabet drawing used for the initial election for that runoff election. The city shall, within three days following the initial election, notify the Secretary of State by registered mail of the date of the election and request that he or she conduct a randomized alphabet drawing for the runoff election. The Secretary of State shall immediately conduct a randomized alphabet drawing for the runoff election and communicate the results of the drawing to the elections official responsible for conducting the runoff election who shall use the results to determine the order of all the candidates’ names on the ballot. The results of the randomized alphabet drawing shall be clearly labeled “FOR USE IN A RUNOFF ELECTION ONLY.”
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 508, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2007.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13115.

13115. The order in which all state measures that are to be submitted to the voters shall appear on the ballot is as follows:
(a) Bond measures, including those proposed by initiative, in the order in which they qualify.
(b) Constitutional amendments, including those proposed by initiative, in the order in which they qualify.
(c) Legislative measures, other than those described in subdivision (a) or (b), in the order in which they are approved by the Legislature.
(d) Initiative measures, other than those described in subdivision (a) or (b), in the order in which they qualify.
(e) Referendum measures, in the order in which they qualify.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 57. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13116.

13116. (a) In an election at which state, county, city, or other local measures are submitted to a vote of the voters, all state measures shall be numbered in numerical order, as provided in this chapter or division. All county, city, or other local measures shall be designated by a letter, instead of a figure, printed on the left margin of the square containing the description of the measure, commencing with the letter “A” and continuing in alphabetical order, one letter for each of these measures appearing on the ballot.
(b) An elections official may commence designating local measures with any letter of the alphabet following the letter “A,” and continuing in alphabetical order, in order to avoid voter confusion that might result from different local measures carrying the same letter designation in successive elections.
(c) Where two or more counties or cities submitting measures to the voters are in close proximity, the elections officials of those counties or cities may mutually agree to use letter designation for ballot measures that will not conflict or confuse the voter.
(Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13117.

13117. (a) Commencing with the November 3, 1998, general election, all state measures in all elections at which state measures are submitted to a vote of the voters shall be numbered in a continuous sequence, commencing with the number “1” and continuing in numerical sequence for a period of 10 years from the year of commencement.
(b) At the completion of a 10-year cycle, the numbering sequence shall recommence with the number “1” at the next election at which state measures are submitted to a vote of the voters.
(Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 58, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13118.

13118. The following rules apply when a person who is a candidate for an office believes that another person with a name that is so similar that it may be confused with the candidate’s name has filed or will file a nomination paper for the same office:
(a) The candidate may, at the time of filing the candidate’s nomination paper, or within five days after the time for filing nomination papers has expired, file with the elections official a statement that shall be in substance as follows:
“I ____, believe that another person, whose name is so similar to mine that it may be confused with mine, has filed or will file a nomination paper for the same office for which I have filed a nomination paper, and I therefore request and direct that the elections official assign a number to each candidate with a similar name to be printed on the ballot as a distinguishing mark.
_____
_____ Name
Candidate for the office
of  ”
(b) The distinguishing mark shall be a number, commencing with the number “1” and continuing in numerical sequence until each candidate with a similar name has been assigned a distinguishing number, and shall be printed at the right of the name on the ballot.
(c) The first candidate who filed the candidate’s nomination papers shall have the number “1” and each subsequent candidate, based on the time of filing the candidate’s nomination papers, shall be assigned the next number in numerical sequence.
(d) In addition to the designated numbers that the elections official shall place on the ballot when the above conditions are met, the elections official shall place on the ballot, immediately preceding the names of the candidates to be voted upon, or on the contest header if there is not sufficient space immediately preceding the name, the following warning:
“Warning!   There are two (or applicable number) candidates for this office with identical names.”
This warning shall also be included, in a prominent manner, on any state voter information guide, county voter information guide, or other mailing sent by the elections official, before the election, to persons eligible to vote for this office.
(e) To determine the order on the ballot for the candidates with similar names, the elections official shall conduct a drawing of the numbers assigned to the candidates in a similar manner as provided for in Section 13112.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 2. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13119.

13119. (a) The ballots used when voting upon a measure proposed by a local governing body or submitted to the voters as an initiative or referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000), including a measure authorizing the issuance of bonds or the incurrence of debt, shall have printed on them the words “Shall the measure (stating the nature thereof) be adopted?” To the right or below the statement of the measure to be voted on, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “Yes,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the measure. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “No,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.
(b) If the proposed measure imposes a tax or raises the rate of a tax, the ballot shall include in the statement of the measure to be voted on the amount of money to be raised annually and the rate and duration of the tax to be levied.
(c) The statement of the measure shall be a true and impartial synopsis of the purpose of the proposed measure, and shall be in language that is neither argumentative nor likely to create prejudice for or against the measure.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Local governing body” means the governing body of a city, county, city and county, including a charter city or charter county, or district, including a school district.
(2) “Target” means an object designated as the aim for a voter to make a vote selection.
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 863, Sec. 3. (AB 623) Effective January 1, 2020.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13120.

13120. (a) The ballots used when voting upon a county, city, or district ordinance referred to the voters of the respective jurisdiction as a referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000) shall have printed on them the words “Shall the ordinance (stating the nature thereof, including any identifying number or title) be adopted?” Opposite the statement of the ordinance to be voted on and to its right, or immediately below if there is not sufficient space opposite the statement of the ordinance and to its right, the words “Yes” and “No” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “Yes,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the ordinance. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed word “No,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.
(b) The ballots used when voting upon a state statute referred to the voters of the state as a referendum measure pursuant to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9000) shall have printed on them the words “Shall California keep or overturn a law passed in [enter year statute was enacted] [followed by no more than 15 words stating the general subject or nature of the law]? Opposite the statement of the statute to be voted on and to its right, or immediately below if there is not sufficient space opposite the statement of the statute and to its right, the words “Keep the law” and “Overturn the law” shall be printed on separate lines, with voting targets. If a voter marks the voting target next to the printed words “Keep the law,” the voter’s vote shall be counted in favor of the adoption of the statute. If the voter marks the voting target next to the printed words “Overturn the law,” the voter’s vote shall be counted against its adoption.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 162, Sec. 8. (AB 421) Effective September 8, 2023.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 2 - Forms of Ballots: Ballot Order › Section 13121.

13121. Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the county elections official conducting any school election shall not be required to provide more than one ballot to the same voter for the purpose of voting on separate propositions at the same election. However, no voter shall be presented with a ballot containing a proposition on which he or she is not entitled to vote by reason of not residing within the district or area affected by the proposition.
(Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13200.

13200. Ballots not printed in substantial compliance with this chapter shall not be cast nor counted at any election.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 15. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13201.

13201. The ballots of each political party’s central committee shall be designed so that each ballot may be easily and clearly distinguished from, and not confused with, a ballot of any other political party.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 199, Sec. 43. Effective January 1, 1999.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13202.

13202. (a) All ballots of the same sort prepared by any county elections official, clerk or secretary of a legislative body, or other person having charge of preparing ballots for the same polling place, shall be precisely the same size, arrangement, quality and tint of paper, and kind of type, and shall be printed with ink of the same tint, so that without the numbers on the stubs it is impossible to distinguish any one of the ballots from the other ballots of the same sort.
(b) The names of all candidates printed upon the ballot shall be in type of the same size and character. If there is not sufficient space for a candidate name, the size may be adjusted as close as possible to the size and character of all the other candidate names printed upon the ballot.
(c) For multilingual ballots, if there is not sufficient space to print candidate names in at least 10-point bold type, as required by Section 13211, the size of candidate names shall be uniformly adjusted to a size that is no less than 8-point type.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 16. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13203.

13203. At the top of the first page of the ballot shall be printed in at least 16-point bold type the words “Official Ballot.” Beneath this heading, the name of the election shall be printed in at least 12-point bold type and, in the case of a partisan primary election, the official party designation or the words “Nonpartisan Ballot” shall be printed, as applicable. After the heading line or lines, there shall be printed, in at least 12-point type, the date of the election and, in at least 8-point type, the name of the county in which the ballot is to be voted. The county name may alternatively be displayed in the county seal or logo. In addition, the ballot shall have printed, at the top or bottom of each card, a ballot style identifier or some other means of identifying the number of the congressional, Senate, and Assembly district.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 17. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13204.

13204. (a) The instructions to voters shall be printed below the ballot identification and above the contests to be voted on, or in the first column of the ballot as long as no contest is placed below the instructions in that column. The instructions shall be in at least 10-point type and in an area clearly separated from the ballot contests.
(b) (1) The instructions shall be written in plain language to communicate the following information:
(A) How to vote for a candidate or in a contest with “Yes” and “No” options.
(B) How to write in a candidate.
(C) What to do if a mistake is made.
(2) The instructions may also include warnings and checks to help voters mark their ballot correctly and avoid errors. Instructions for specific types of contests are required only if a contest of that type appears on the ballot.
(c) (1) For purposes of the instructions described in this section, the following text is recommended:
“Instructions for voting
To vote for a candidate, completely fill in the [voting target] next to the candidate’s name or the word “Yes” or “No.”
To vote for a qualified write-in candidate, write the name in the blank space provided and fill in the [voting target].
If you make a mistake, [instructions for making a correction] [or ask for a new ballot].
Make sure your vote counts.
Use a [blue or black ballpoint pen].
Do not select more candidates than the number to be elected. You may vote in as many or as few contests as you want.
A mistake in one contest does not affect the rest of the ballot.”
(2) The recommended instructions in paragraph (1) may be modified to apply to the voting system and ballot format in each county, and the administration of elections in that county.
(d) The instructions may be accompanied by illustrations, customized to the ballot design in each county, that show the correct way of marking a selection on the ballot, writing in a candidate name, or correcting a mistake.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 19. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13206.

13206. (a) (1) On the partisan ballot used in a direct primary election, immediately before or above the contest for President, the following words shall be printed on ballots of parties that require registration as a member of the party to vote in the party’s primary election:
“Party-Nominated Offices
Only voters registered as a member of the [name of party] may vote in this primary election for President and party committee.”
(2) In the same location, the following words shall be printed on ballots of parties that permit voters who have not disclosed a party preference to vote in the party’s primary:
“Party-Nominated Offices
Voters registered as a member of the [name of party] may vote in this primary election for President and party committee. Some parties may allow voters with no party preference to vote in the party’s primary election for President.”
(3) For voting systems that do not allow variance in instructions, the following words shall be printed:
“Party-Nominated Offices
Voters registered as a member of the same party as the candidates may vote in this primary election for President and party committee. Some parties may allow voters with no party preference to vote in the party’s primary election for President.”
(b) Before or above the first voter-nominated contest, the following words shall be printed:
“Voter-Nominated Offices
All voters may vote in these contests.
Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”
(c) Before or above the first nonpartisan contest, or in the same area as the notice for voter-nominated offices, the following words shall be printed:
“Nonpartisan Offices
All voters may vote in these contests.
Candidates for these offices do not display a party preference.”
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 21. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13206.5.

13206.5. (a) (1) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each year evenly divisible by the number four, immediately before or above the contest for President, the following words shall be printed:
“Party-Nominated Offices
Candidates for these offices are the official nominee of the party displayed with their name.”
(2) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each year evenly divisible by the number four, following the portion of the ballot for party-nominated offices, the following words shall be printed:
“Voter-Nominated and Nonpartisan Offices
Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”
(b) On the ballot used in a statewide general election in each even-numbered year that is not evenly divisible by the number four, immediately below the instructions to voters, the following words shall be printed:
“Voter-Nominated and Nonpartisan Offices
Candidates display a party preference (or None) for the information of voters. This is not a party endorsement or approval.”
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 22. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13207.

13207. (a) There shall be printed on the ballot in parallel columns all of the following:
(1) The respective offices.
(2) The names of candidates with sufficient blank spaces to allow the voters to write in names not printed on the ballot, except that no spaces shall be printed for voter-nominated offices at a general election.
(3) Whatever measures have been submitted to the voters.
(b) In the case of a ballot which is intended for use in a party primary and which carries partisan offices, voter-nominated offices, and nonpartisan offices, a vertical solid black line shall divide the columns containing partisan offices, on the left, from the columns containing nonpartisan offices and voter-nominated offices, on the right.
(c) The standard width of columns containing partisan offices, nonpartisan offices, and voter-nominated offices, shall be three inches except that an elections official may vary the width of these columns by up to one inch. The column containing presidential and vice presidential candidates may be as wide as four inches.
(d) A measure that is to be submitted to the voters shall be printed in one or more parallel columns to the right of the columns containing the names of candidates and shall be of sufficient width to contain the title and summary of the measure. To the right of or below the title and summary shall be printed, on separate lines, the words “Yes” and “No.”
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 57, Sec. 5. (AB 2835) Effective January 1, 2019.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13208.

13208. (a) A voting target shall be printed next to the name of each voting option. The voting targets shall be used by the voters to express their choices as provided for in the instruction to voters.
(b) The standard voting target shall be at least 0.12 inches across in either dimension.
(c) As used in this section, “target” means an object designated as the aim for a voter to make a vote selection.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 23. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13209.

13209. Whenever a foreign translation of the ballot is required by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended by Public Law 94-73, to appear on the ballot as well as the English language version, the ballot may be so designed as to place the foreign translation next to the voting target.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 24. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13210.

13210. (a) In the case of candidates for delegate to national convention, there shall be printed in at least 10-point bold type, the words, “President of the United States” and “Vote for one group only.”
(b) In the case of candidates for President and Vice President, the words “Vote for One Party” shall appear just below the heading “President and Vice President” and shall be printed so as to appear above the voting targets for that office. The heading “President and Vice President” shall be printed in at least 10-point bold type.
(c) In that section of the ballot designated for judicial offices, next to the heading “judicial” shall appear the instruction: “Vote yes or no for each office.”
(d) In the case of candidates for Justice of the Supreme Court and court of appeal, within the rectangle provided for each candidate, and immediately above each candidate’s name, there shall appear the following: “For (designation of judicial office).” There shall be as many of these headings as there are candidates for these judicial offices. No heading shall apply to more than one judicial office. Underneath each heading shall appear the words “Shall (title and name of Justice) be elected to the office for the term provided by law?”
(e) In the case of all other candidates, each group of candidates to be voted on shall be preceded by the designation of the office for which they are running, and the words “vote for one” or “vote for no more than two,” or more, according to the number to be nominated or elected. The designation of the office and the words “vote for” shall be printed in at least 9-point bold type. The designation of the office and the directions for voting shall be separated from the candidates by a light line. There shall be no line between the headings for federal or legislative offices and the designation of the office and the directions for voting.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 25. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13211.

13211. The names of the candidates shall be printed on the ballot, without indentation, in at least 10-point bold type.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 26. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13211.5.

13211.5. (a) Each group of names of candidates for a particular office shall be printed in immediate succession to another group of names of candidates for a particular office so as to avoid unnecessary spacing or gaps in the sequence in which each series of groups of names are listed on the ballot.
(b) Spaces may be left on the ballot in order to keep an entire contest together in a single column or page, or to manage the arrangement of contests on the ballot.
(c) When a ballot has multiple pages or cards, an instruction shall be printed to direct the voter to continue to the next page or card.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 27. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)
2023 California Code › Elections Code - ELEC › DIVISION 13 - BALLOTS, SAMPLE BALLOTS, AND VOTER PAMPHLETS › CHAPTER 3 - Ballot Printing Specifications › ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions › Section 13211.7.

13211.7. (a) (1) In jurisdictions required to provide translated ballot materials pursuant to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10503), as that section may be amended from time to time, any ballot that provides a translation of a candidate’s name shall contain a phonetic transliteration of the candidate’s name, except as provided in subdivision (b).
(2) This section applies only to character-based languages, including, but not limited to, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, and Korean.
(3) If a candidate’s name is to appear on the ballot in more than one jurisdiction in an election, all of those jurisdictions required to provide translated ballot materials pursuant to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10503) shall use the same phonetic transliteration or character-based translation of the name.
(4) (A) In a jurisdiction in which separate ballots containing translations of the candidates’ names are printed in different languages, both the alphabet-based names and the translations of the candidates’ names, for candidates that have translated names, shall appear on the translated ballot.
(B) If a jurisdiction is unable to comply with subparagraph (A) due to limitations of its existing voting system, any new voting system purchased by the jurisdiction after July 1, 2020, shall be able to accommodate the requirements of subparagraph (A).
(b) If a candidate has a character-based name by birth, that can be verified by birth certificate or other valid identification, the candidate may use that name on the ballot instead of a phonetic transliteration. A candidate who does not have a character-based name by birth, but who identifies by a particular character-based name and can demonstrate to the local elections official that the candidate has been known and identified within the public sphere by that name over the past two years, may use that name instead of a phonetic transliteration.
(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 82, Sec. 1. (AB 57) Effective January 1, 2020.)