Candidates interested in running for an office on the June 3, 2014 primary ballot may take out petitions to secure signatures to cover all or part of the filing fee required to run for office starting Friday, December 27. The Elections Department will be open on Friday, December 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for candidates who want to obtain Signature In-Lieu petitions.
The last day to file Petitions In-Lieu for the following offices on the June 3, 2014 Primary Election ballot is February 20, 2014:
State Offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, State Superintendent of Schools
State Board of Equalization, 2nd District
US Congress, 18th and 20th Districts
State Assembly, 29th and 30th Districts
County Supervisor, 3rd and 4th Districts
County Department Heads: Assessor-Recorder, Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector, County Clerk, Superintendent of Schools, District Attorney-Public Administrator, Sheriff-Coroner
Filing fees for the various offices up for election are based on 1 or 2 percent of the annual salary. Fees range from $3,480 for Governor to $953 for State Assembly Member. Candidates may collect signatures that have a specific value per signature to cover all or part of the filing fee. Signature In-Lieu Petitions may be obtained from the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department, located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 210 in Santa Cruz.
The office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, December 27 – no appointment necessary. If candidates want to come in on December 30 or 31, they must call 831-454-2060 on Friday, December 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and make an appointment. The office will then be closed for the holiday furlough through January 1, 2014. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting Thursday, January 2, 2014.
The deadline to file Signature In-Lieu petitions for persons running for Superior Court Judge is February 5, 2014 due to the requirement that judicial candidates must file a Declaration of Intention between January 27 and February 5.
Another important candidate filing period is February 10 to March 7. During this time, candidates file the following documents:
- Declaration of Candidacy filing for all candidates;
- Nomination Papers filing for all candidates. Candidates must file a specified number of valid signatures on a Nomination Petition in order to have his or her name on the primary ballot;
- Candidate’s Statement of Qualifications is optional for candidates running for County offices, Superior Court Judge, and Board of Supervisors. Statements not exceeding 200 words must be filed and paid for at the time of filing the candidate’s Declaration of Candidacy. Candidates for state offices may file a 250-word statement by the deadline if he or she has agreed to adhere to the spending limits pursuant to Proposition 34. Candidates for Congress may also file a 250-word candidate statement for printing in the county Sample Ballot by the March 10 deadline.
A “Candidate’s Handbook” detailing deadlines, forms, candidate filing requirements, and election processes for the June 3, 2014 Primary Election is available from the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department at 701 Ocean St., Room 210, Santa Cruz. Candidate’s handbooks are also available online at www.votescount.com. In addition, a daily update of candidates who have taken out papers or have filed is available online at www.votescount.com as well as other important information regarding the June Primary.