1000.

 The established election dates are as follows:

(a) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each year.

(b) The second Tuesday of April in each even-numbered year.

(c) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each year.

8020.

 (a) No candidate’s name shall be printed on the ballot to be used at the direct primary unless the following nomination documents are delivered for filing to the county elections official:

(1) Declaration of candidacy pursuant to Section 8040.

(2) Nomination papers signed by signers pursuant to Section 8041.

(b) The forms shall first be available on the 113th day prior to the direct primary election, or on the 158th day prior to the primary election for a candidate for membership on a county central committee, and shall be delivered to the county for which the nomination documents were circulated not later than 5 p.m. on the 88th day prior to the primary election. The forms may be delivered to the county elections official by a person other than the candidate.

(c) Upon the receipt of an executed nomination document, the county elections official shall give the person delivering the document a receipt, properly dated, indicating that the document was delivered to the county elections official.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 8028, upon request of a candidate, the county elections official shall provide the candidate with a declaration of candidacy. The county elections official shall not require a candidate to sign, file, or sign and file, a declaration of candidacy as a condition of receiving nomination papers.

8061.

 (a) If a candidate submits an in-lieu-filing-fee petition pursuant to Section 8106, any or all signatures appearing on the petition, which would be valid under Section 8041, shall be counted towards the number of voters required to sign a nomination paper. If an in-lieu-filing-fee petition contains a requisite number of valid signatures under Section 8062, the candidate shall not be required to file nomination papers.

(b) If an in-lieu-filing-fee petition does not contain the requisite number of valid signatures as set forth in Section 8062, the candidate shall be entitled to file, within the time period allowed for filing nomination papers, a nomination paper in order to obtain the requisite number of valid signatures required to be submitted to the elections official on a nomination paper. A candidate who submits a nomination paper pursuant to this subdivision shall only be required to obtain the number of signatures thereon needed to supplement the in-lieu-filing-fee petition so that the combination of signatures appearing on the in-lieu-filing-fee petition and the nomination paper equals or exceeds the requisite number of signatures set forth in Section 8062.

8106.

 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, a candidate, or a person authorized by the candidate, may submit a petition containing signatures of registered voters in lieu of a filing fee as follows:

(1) For the office of California State Assembly, 1,000 signatures.

(2) For the office of California State Senate and the United States House of Representatives, 2,000 signatures.

(3) For candidates running for statewide office, 7,000 signatures.

(4) For all other offices for which a filing fee is required, if the number of registered voters in the district in which a candidate seeks nomination is 2,000 or more, the candidate may submit a petition containing three signatures of registered voters for each dollar of the filing fee, or 7 percent of the total of registered voters in the district in which the candidate seeks nomination, whichever is less.

(5) For all other offices for which a filing fee is required, if the number of registered voters in the district in which a candidate seeks nomination is less than 2,000, the candidate may submit a petition containing three signatures of registered voters for each dollar of the filing fee, or 14 percent of the total of registered voters in the district in which the candidate seeks nomination, whichever is less.

(6) A voter may sign both a candidate’s nomination papers and in-lieu-filing-fee petition. However, if signatures appearing on the documents are counted towards both the nomination paper and the in-lieu-filing-fee petition signature requirements, a person may only sign one of the documents.

(b) The Secretary of State or an elections official shall furnish to each candidate, upon request, and without charge, forms for securing signatures. The number of forms that the elections official shall furnish a candidate shall be a quantity that provides the candidates with spaces for signatures sufficient in number to equal the number of signatures that the candidate is required to secure pursuant to subdivision (a) if the candidate desires that number of forms. However, the elections official, rather than provide the candidate with the number of forms set forth in the preceding sentence, or upon the request of a candidate, may provide the candidate with a master form that may be duplicated by the candidate at the candidate’s expense for the purpose of circulating additional petitions. The Secretary of State shall provide the master form. The elections official may provide candidates a form other than the master form provided by the Secretary of State. However, that form shall meet all statutory requirements, and the elections official shall also make available and accept the master form provided by the Secretary of State. All forms shall be made available commencing 60 days before the first day for circulating nomination papers. However, in cases of vacancies for which a special election is authorized or required to be held to fill the vacancy, and where the prescribed nomination period would commence less than 60 days after the creation of the vacancy, the forms shall be made available within five working days after the creation of the vacancy. No other form except the form furnished by the Secretary of State or the elections official or forms duplicated from a master form shall be used to secure signatures. Each petition section shall bear an affidavit signed by the circulator, in substantially the same form as set forth in Section 8041. The substitution of signatures for fees shall be subject to all of the following:

(1) Any registered voter may sign an in-lieu-filing-fee petition for any candidate for whom the voter is eligible to vote.

(2) If a voter signs more candidates’ petitions than there are offices to be filled, the voter’s signatures shall be valid only on those petitions that, taken in the order they were filed, do not exceed the number of offices to be filled.

(3) In-lieu-filing-fee petitions shall be filed at least 30 days before the close of the nomination period. Within 10 days after receipt of a petition, the elections official shall notify the candidate of any deficiency. The candidate shall then, at the time of obtaining nomination forms, pay a pro rata portion of the filing fee to cover the deficiency.

(4) If the petition is circulated for an office in more than one county, the candidate shall submit the signatures to the elections official in the county for which the petition was circulated. The elections official shall, at least two days after verifying the signatures on the petition, notify the Secretary of State of the total number of valid signatures. If the number of signatures is insufficient, the Secretary of State shall notify the candidate and the elections officials of the fact. The candidate may submit the necessary number of valid signatures at least 30 days before the close of the period for circulating nomination papers. Each circulator shall meet the requirements of Section 102.

(5) Each candidate may submit a greater number of signatures to allow for subsequent losses due to invalidity of some signatures. The elections official shall not be required to determine the validity of a greater number of signatures than that required by this section.

(c) For purposes of this section, the requisite number of signatures shall be computed from the latest registration figures forwarded to the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 2187 before the first day on which petitions are available.

(d) All valid signatures obtained pursuant to this section shall be counted toward the number of voters required to sign a nomination paper in accordance with Section 8061 or 8405.

8406.

 Any nomination paper may be presented in sections, but each section shall contain the name of the candidate and the name of the office for which the candidate is proposed for nomination. Each section shall bear the name of the county for which it is circulated.

9030.

 (a) Each section of the petition shall be filed with the elections official of the county or city and county for which it was circulated, but all sections circulated in any county or city and county shall be filed at the same time. Once filed, no petition section shall be amended except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Within eight days after the filing of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and shall transmit this information to the Secretary of State. If the total number of signatures filed with all elections officials is less than 100 percent of the number of qualified voters required to find the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall so notify the proponents and the elections officials, and no further action shall be taken with regard to the petition.

(c) If the number of signatures filed with all elections officials is 100 percent or more of the number of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the elections officials.

(d) Within 30 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition. If more than 500 names have been signed on sections of the petition filed with an elections official, the elections official shall use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures, as determined by the Secretary of State. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 or 3 percent of the signatures, whichever is greater. In determining from the records of registration what number of qualified voters have signed the petition, the elections official may use any facsimiles of voters’ signatures provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law.

(e) The elections official, upon the completion of the examination, shall immediately attach to the petition, except the signatures thereto appended, a properly dated certificate, showing the result of the examination, and shall immediately transmit the petition and the certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of this certificate shall be filed in the elections official’s office.

(f) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State establish that the number of valid signatures does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(g) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall certify that the measure is qualified for the ballot as provided in Section 9033.

9030.

 (a) Each section of the petition shall be filed with the elections official of the county or city and county for which it was circulated, but all sections circulated in any county or city and county shall be filed at the same time. Once filed, no petition section shall be amended except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Within eight days after the filing of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and shall transmit this information to the Secretary of State. If the total number of signatures filed with all elections officials is less than 100 percent of the number of qualified voters required to find the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall so notify the proponents and the elections officials, and no further action shall be taken with regard to the petition.

(c) If the number of signatures filed with all elections officials is 100 percent or more of the number of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the elections officials.

(d) Within 30 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition. If more than 500 names have been signed on sections of the petition filed with an elections official, the elections official shall use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures, as determined by the Secretary of State. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 or 3 percent of the signatures, whichever is greater. In determining from the records of registration what number of qualified voters have signed the petition, the elections official may use any facsimiles of voters’ signatures provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law. A signature shall not be invalidated because of a variation of the signature caused by the substitution of initials for the first or middle name, or both, of the person signing the petition.

(e) The elections official, upon the completion of the examination, shall immediately attach to the petition, except the signatures thereto appended, a properly dated certificate, showing the result of the examination, and shall immediately transmit the petition and the certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of this certificate shall be filed in the elections official’s office.

(f) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State establish that the number of valid signatures does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(g) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient, the Secretary of State shall certify that the measure is qualified for the ballot as provided in Section 9033.

9030.

 (a) Each section of the petition shall be filed with the elections official of the county or city and county for which it was circulated, but all sections circulated in any county or city and county shall be filed at the same time. Once filed, no petition section shall be amended except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Within 10 days after the filing of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and, in the case of an initiative petition, the total number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036. The elections official shall transmit this information to the Secretary of State. If the total number of signatures filed with all elections officials is less than 100 percent of the number of qualified voters required to find the petition sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is less than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall so notify the proponents and the elections officials, and no further action shall be taken with regard to the petition.

(c) If the number of signatures filed with all elections officials is 100 percent or more of the number of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is equal to or greater than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the elections officials.

(d) (1) Within 35 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition and the number of qualified voters who have signed a section of the petition that satisfies the requirement of subdivision (a) of Section 9036.

(2) (A) If more than 500 names have been signed on sections of the petition filed with an elections official, the elections official shall use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures, as determined by the Secretary of State. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn from all petition sections in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample.

(B) For initiative petitions, a second random sample of signatures shall be drawn from all petition sections submitted to satisfy subdivision (a) of Section 9036 and verified according to the procedures set forth by the Secretary of State. The verification of signatures that are submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 shall be consistent with subdivision (g) of that section.

(C) In each case, the random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 signatures or 3 percent of the signatures on the respective petitions or sections of petitions, whichever is greater.

(3) In determining from the records of registration the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition, the elections official may use any facsimiles of voters’ signatures, provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law.

(e) The elections official, upon the completion of the examination, shall immediately attach to the petition, except the signatures thereto appended, a properly dated certificate showing the result of the examination and shall immediately transmit the petition and the certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of this certificate shall be filed in the elections official’s office.

(f) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State establish that the number of valid signatures does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, that the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(g) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to qualify as of the date of receipt of certificates by the Secretary of State showing the petition received more than 110 percent of the qualified voters needed, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(h) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations consistent with this section. The initial regulations may be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare.

9030.

 (a) Each section of the petition shall be filed with the elections official of the county or city and county for which it was circulated, but all sections circulated in any county or city and county shall be filed at the same time. Once filed, no petition section shall be amended except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Within 10 days after the filing of the petition, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the total number of signatures affixed to the petition and, in the case of an initiative petition, the total number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036. The elections official shall transmit this information to the Secretary of State. If the total number of signatures filed with all elections officials is less than 100 percent of the number of qualified voters required to find the petition sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is less than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall so notify the proponents and the elections officials, and no further action shall be taken with regard to the petition.

(c) If the number of signatures filed with all elections officials is 100 percent or more of the number of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 is equal to or greater than the total number needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the elections officials.

(d) (1) Within 35 days after this notification, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the elections official shall determine the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition and the number of qualified voters who have signed a section of the petition that satisfies the requirement of subdivision (a) of Section 9036.

(2) (A) If more than 500 names have been signed on sections of the petition filed with an elections official, the elections official shall use a random sampling technique for verification of signatures, as determined by the Secretary of State. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn from all petition sections in such a manner that every signature filed with the elections official shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample.

(B) For initiative petitions, a second random sample of signatures shall be drawn from all petition sections submitted to satisfy subdivision (a) of Section 9036 and verified according to the procedures set forth by the Secretary of State. The verification of signatures that are submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 shall be consistent with subdivision (g) of that section.

(C) In each case, the random sampling shall include an examination of at least 500 signatures or 3 percent of the signatures on the respective petitions or sections of petitions, whichever is greater.

(3) In determining from the records of registration the number of qualified voters who have signed the petition, the elections official may use any facsimiles of voters’ signatures, provided that the method of preparing and displaying the facsimiles complies with law. A signature shall not be invalidated because of a variation of the signature caused by the substitution of initials for the first or middle name, or both, of the person signing the petition.

(e) The elections official, upon the completion of the examination, shall immediately attach to the petition, except the signatures thereto appended, a properly dated certificate showing the result of the examination and shall immediately transmit the petition and the certificate to the Secretary of State. A copy of this certificate shall be filed in the elections official’s office.

(f) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State establish that the number of valid signatures does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient or, in the case of an initiative petition, that the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 does not equal 95 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(g) If the certificates received from all elections officials by the Secretary of State total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient and, in the case of an initiative petition, the number of valid signatures submitted for purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 9036 total more than 110 percent of the number of qualified voters needed to satisfy the requirement of that subdivision, the petition shall be deemed to qualify as of the date of receipt of certificates by the Secretary of State showing the petition received more than 110 percent of the qualified voters needed, and the Secretary of State shall immediately so notify the proponents and the elections officials.

(h) The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations consistent with this section. The initial regulations may be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare.

10512.

 (a) Each candidate shall set forth in full the oath or affirmation set forth in Section 3 of Article XX of the California Constitution, which shall be filed with the declaration of candidacy. The county elections official or district secretary, or a person designated by the county elections official or district secretary, shall administer the oath.

(b) The county elections official or district secretary, or a person designated by the county elections official or district secretary, may administer the oath or affirmation set forth in Section 3 of Article XX of the California Constitution to the candidate elected to office.

10703.

 (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 126 days, but not more than 140 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the Governor pursuant to Section 1773 of the Government Code.

(2) A special election to fill a vacancy in an office listed in paragraph (1) may be conducted within 180 days following the proclamation in order to consolidate the election or the primary election with a regularly scheduled statewide election or local election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory in which the vacancy exists, provided that the voters eligible to vote in the local election comprise at least 50 percent of all the voters eligible to vote on the vacancy.

(b) Except as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 10730), a special election or a primary election shall not be conducted on the day after a state holiday.

(c) (1) A special election described in this section may be conducted as an all-mailed ballot election pursuant to Section 4000.5 or 4001.5.

(2) This subdivision shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2021, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends that date.

10703.

 (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, State Senator, or Member of the Assembly shall be conducted on a Tuesday at least 126 days, but not more than 140 days, following the issuance of an election proclamation by the Governor pursuant to Section 1773 of the Government Code.

(2) A special election to fill a vacancy in an office listed in paragraph (1) may be conducted within 200 days following the proclamation in order to consolidate the election or the primary election with an election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory in which the vacancy exists.

(b) Except as provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 10730), a special election or a primary election shall not be conducted on the day after a state holiday.

(c) (1) A special election described in this section may be conducted as an all-mailed ballot election pursuant to Section 4000.5 or 4001.5.

(2) This subdivision shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2021, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends that date.

15620.

 (a) Following completion of the official canvass, any voter may, within five days thereafter but not later than 5 p.m. on the fifth day, file with the elections official responsible for conducting an election in the county wherein the recount is sought a written request for a recount of the votes cast for candidates for any office, for slates of presidential electors, or for or against any measure, if the office, slate, or measure is not voted on statewide. The request shall specify on behalf of which candidate, slate of electors, or position on a measure (affirmative or negative) it is filed.

(b) If an election is conducted in more than one county, the request for the recount may be filed by any voter within five days but not later that 5 p.m. on the fifth day, beginning on the 31st day after the election, with the elections official of, and the recount may be conducted within, any or all of the affected counties.

(c) For the purposes of this section, “completion of the official canvass” shall be presumed to be that time when the elections official signs the certified statement of the results of the election except that, in the case of a city election, if a city council canvasses the returns itself and does not order the elections official to conduct the canvass, “completion of the official canvass” shall be presumed to be that time when the governing body declares the persons elected or the measures approved or defeated.