Sabrina Cervantes
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 31
Author
(1) Existing law authorizes a candidate for elective office to submit a petition containing a specified number of signatures in lieu of all or part of the fee for filing nomination papers. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to make forms for securing signatures available to each candidate commencing 60 days before the first day for circulating nomination papers, except as specified, and requires candidates to file in-lieu-filing-fee petitions at least 30 days before the close of the nomination period. This bill, for the June 2, 2026, statewide direct primary election, would require the Secretary of State to make those forms available beginning December 19, 2025. This bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare a calendar of key election dates and deadlines and requirements for the nomination of candidates by the date that the in-lieu-filing-fee petition forms are made available. (2) Existing law requires each county elections official to provide the Secretary of State with specified information regarding the number of voters and their party preferences in the county and each supervisorial, Congressional, Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization district in the county on the 135th day before each direct primary election, with respect to all voters who are registered voters on the 154th day before the primary election. Existing law requires the Secretary of State to compile a statewide list of this information within 30 days after receiving it from each county elections official. This bill would require the Secretary of State to determine, by December 19, 2025, whether it is feasible to include in the statewide list described above the number of voters by party preference in each congressional district with respect to all voters who are registered voters on the 154th day before the June 2, 2026, statewide direct primary election. If the Secretary of State determines it is not feasible, the bill would not require that information to be included in the information provided by the counties and the compiled statewide list. The bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare a supplemental statewide list showing that information on a date specified by the Secretary of State, but not later than the 88th day before the June 2, 2026, statewide direct primary election. (3) Existing law authorizes a candidate for elective office to designate that certain specified words appear below the candidate's name on the ballot, including, among others, the word "incumbent." This bill, for the June 2, 2026, statewide direct primary election, would prohibit a candidate for the office of Representative in Congress from choosing the word "incumbent" as a designation to appear on the ballot. The bill would make conforming changes relating to the deadline for a person to file nomination documents for an office if a current holder of the office does not file nomination documents. These provisions would become operative only if ACA 8 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is approved by the voters and another state adopts a new congressional district map that takes effect after August 1, 2025. (4) The bill would repeal the provisions described in paragraphs (1) to (3) above on January 1, 2027. (5) Existing law requires a constitutional amendment submitted to the people by the Legislature to appear on the ballot of the first statewide election occurring at least 131 days after the adoption of the proposal. This bill would call a special election to be held throughout the state on November 4, 2025, and, notwithstanding the 131-day requirement, would require the submission of ACA 8 of the 2025–26 Regular Session to the voters at that special election. The bill would authorize a local election called on or before August 8, 2025, and scheduled to be held on November 4, 2025, to be consolidated with the statewide special election. The bill would require that the impartial analysis prepared by the Legislative Analyst for the state voter information guide for the special election include specified content regarding 2021 and 2025 congressional district maps. The bill would specify the procedures under which the special election would be conducted. Counties that conduct all-mailed ballot elections using vote centers would be required to maintain at least one vote center for every 30,000 registered voters from November 1, 2025, to November 4, 2025, and at least one vote center for every 60,000 registered voters from October 25, 2025, through October 31, 2025. Other counties would be authorized to consolidate polling places at a maximum ratio of one for every 10,000 registered voters. The bill would appropriate an amount from the General Fund to the Controller for the actual and reasonably necessary costs for counties to conduct the special election, as determined by the Director of Finance. The bill would also appropriate an amount from the General Fund to the Secretary of State for the actual and reasonably necessary costs for the Secretary of State to administer the special election, as determined by the Director of Finance. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Amendments by Assembly Member Gallagher tabled on motion by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. (Ayes 54. Noes 19. Page 2689.)
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 97, Statutes of 2025.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:45 p.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 8. Page 2232.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Urgency clause adopted.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Senate Rule 29.10(d) suspended. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 2226.)
Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 57. Noes 20. Page 2693.) Ordered to the Senate.
Amendments by Assembly Member Tangipa tabled on motion by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. (Ayes 54. Noes 19. Page 2692.)
Amendments by Assembly Member Gallagher tabled on motion by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. (Ayes 56. Noes 19. Page 2691.)
Amendments by Assembly Member Castillo tabled on motion by Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry. (Ayes 56. Noes 19. Page 2690.)
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 20).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Joint Rule 62(a) suspended. (Ayes 27. Noes 10. Page 2188.)
From consent calendar on motion of Assembly Member Pellerin.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Re-referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.
Joint Rule 62(a) suspended. (Ayes 58. Noes 18. Page 2645.)
Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Ayes 57. Noes 18. Page 2646.)
Joint Rule 62(a) suspended. (Ayes 57. Noes 18. Page 2646.)
Assembly Rule 63 and 66 suspended. (Ayes 57. Noes 18. Page 2647.)
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 16).
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Coauthors revised.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1332.) Ordered to the Assembly.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Set for hearing April 21.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 609.) (April 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A.
Set for hearing April 1.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 8.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB280 | HTML |
| 02/05/25 - Introduced | |
| 03/25/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/10/25 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/18/25 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/21/25 - Enrolled | |
| 08/21/25 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 03/28/25- Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments | |
| 04/23/25- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 06/30/25- Assembly Elections | |
| 07/14/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 08/18/25- Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments | |
| 08/18/25- Assembly Elections | |
| 08/19/25- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 08/20/25- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 08/21/25- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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