Presidential Write-In Candidate
Qualification Procedures November 4, 2008
General Election
see cleaner, official versionhttp://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/election_2008/qualifications/wi_pres_nov2008.pdfI.
QUALIFICATIONS
A. Be a natural-born citizen of the United States,
B. Be at least 35 years of age, and
C. Be a resident of the United States at least 14 years.
U.S. Const., art. II §(5)
II.
REQUIREMENTS
A. Declarations of Write-In Candidacy - Presidential Elector
1. Voters in the November General Election are technically voting for the 55
presidential elector candidates, not directly for the candidates for President and
Vice-President. Therefore, in order to be a write-in candidate, a person must have
55 write-in presidential elector candidates file papers pledging themselves to the
presidential candidate.
2. The 55 write-in elector candidates for presidential elector who have pledged
themselves to vote for a candidate for President and a candidate for Vice-
President must file declarations of write-in candidacy, which must be received by
the Secretary of State on or before October 21, 2008 (E-14).
§§ 8650, 8651, 8652, 8653
1
There are two variations of the declaration form:
a. Declaration of Write-In Candidacy-Presidential Elector (Multiple Signature
Form -- this form includes spaces for more than one presidential elector write-
in candidate to sign). See attached sample.
1
All code section references are to the California Elections Code unless stated otherwise.
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b. Declaration of Write-In Candidacy-Presidential Elector (Single Signature
Form -- this form allows each of the 55 presidential elector write-in candidates
to sign and submit separate forms). See attached sample.
In addition to the elector candidate’s name, these forms must also include the
elector candidate’s residence address, the date of the general election, a statement
stating that he or she is a write-in candidate for the office of presidential elector, an oath of office which must be signed in front of an officer authorized to
administer oaths, such as a county elections official or a notary public, and the
names of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates to whom the elector
candidate is pledged.
§ 8651
The declaration of write-in candidacy must be filed with the Secretary of State in
person or by mail. Please send your documents to:
Office of the California Secretary of State
Elections Division
ATTN: Candidates & Elections
1500 11th Street, 5th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Please indicate on the envelope “Declaration of Write-In Candidacy.” The Declaration of Write-In Candidacy must be received by the Secretary of State no later than October 21, 2008 (E-14).
§ 8652
3. No filing fee is required to file as a write-in candidate for presidential elector.
III.
FEDERAL OFFICES
For federal offices, the write-in candidate should contact:
Federal Election Commission
999 E. Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20463
or call toll-free 1-800-424-9530 for a copy of the Federal Election Campaign Act, as
amended, related regulations giving the filing requirements for reporting campaign
contributions, and the required forms.
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I hereby declare myself a write-in candidate for the office of Presidential Elector to be voted for at the General
Election to be held November 4, 2008, and declare the following to be true:
My name is: __________________________
My residence address is:
___________________________________
Street
___________________________________
City
State
Zip Code
As a write-in candidate for Presidential Elector, I am pledged to ______________________________________________
name
for President of the United States and ______________________________________________ for Vice-President of the
name
United States.
OATH OF OFFICE
I, _________________________________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California; that I
take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter.
_______________________________________
Signature of Presidential Elector Write-In Candidate
State of California
ss.
County of _______________________________________________
Subscribed and sworn to before me this _____________ day of ___________________________, 20_____.
_____________________________________________________
Notary Public (or election official)
WARNING: Every person acting on behalf of a candidate is guilty of a misdemeanor who deliberately fails to file at the proper time and in the proper place any declaration of candidacy in his/her possession which is entitled to be filed under the provisions of the Elections Code.
§ 18202
OFFICIAL FILING FORM
___________________________________________
SECRETARY OF STATE
BY_________________________________________
DEPUTY
DECLARATION OF WRITE-IN CANDIDACY
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR
(Elections Code § 8650, et seq.)
(Single Signature Form)
