Judicial Offices (Elected County-Wide)
Qualifications and Requirements
Qualifications
A candidate for Superior Court Judge shall:
- be a citizen of the United States; and
- be registered to vote; and
- not have been convicted of a felony involving accepting or giving, or offering to give, any bribe, the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes, or for being an official interested in contracts, or becoming a vendor or purchaser at sales, or purchasing scrip of other evidences of indebtedness, in which the official has financial interest; and
- have been a member of the State Bar for ten years immediately preceding the election; or
- have served as a judge of a California court of record for ten years immediately preceding the election.
California Constitution Article VI, §15
Elections Code §§20, 201
Government Code §1097
Filing Requirements
Filing Fee
The non-refundable filing fee is payable to the Registrar of Voters, and must be paid at the time the Declaration of Intention is filed.
The filing fee for Judge of the Superior Court is $2138.33.
Signatures-in-Lieu of Paying Filing Fee
A candidate may submit petitions containing signatures of registered voters to cover all, or any pro-rata portion, of the filing fee. The Petition-in-lieu form may be obtained from any county elections official beginning September 12, 2019. The petitions must be filed with the county elections official in the county where circulated no later than the close of business on November 6, 2019, and prior to filing a Declaration of Intention. Circulators shall be 18 years of age or older.
Any registered voter may sign an in-lieu-filing-fee petition for any candidate for whom he or she is eligible to vote.
Elections Code §§102, 8104(b), 8105(b), 8106 (a)(4),(6), (b)(1),(4)
Nomination Documents and Procedures
Declaration of Intention
Each candidate must file a Declaration of Intention between October 28, 2019 and November 6, 2019, in the office of the elections official in which his or her nomination papers are required to be filed. If an incumbent, eligible to be elected, fails to file by the close of business on November 6, 2019, any person other than the incumbent may file a Declaration of Intention not later than the close of business on November 11, 2019*. No candidate for a judicial office shall be required to state his or her residential address on the Declaration of Intention; however the address must be provided to the elections official for verification.
Elections Code §§15, 8023, 8024*For dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions.
Declaration of Candidacy
Each candidate must file a Declaration of Intention between October 28, 2019 and November 6, 2019, in the office of the elections official in which his or her nomination papers are required to be filed. If an incumbent, eligible to be elected, fails to file by the close of business on November 6, 2019, any person other than the incumbent may file a Declaration of Intention not later than the close of business on November 11, 2019*. No candidate for a judicial office shall be required to state his or her residential address on the Declaration of Intention; however the address must be provided to the elections official for verification.
Elections Code §§15, 8023, 8024*For dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions.
Nomination Petitions
Each candidate is required to file a Nomination Petition between November 11*, 2019 and December 6, 2019, containing at least 40 and no more than 60 signatures of registered voters in the jurisdiction. Each section of the Nomination Petition shall be delivered to the county elections official of the county where circulated, not later than the close of business on December 6, 2019. Circulators shall be 18 years of age or older. Note: Signatures submitted in lieu of paying the filing fee, which meet the requirements of this section, may be designated to satisfy this requirement.
Elections Code §§100, 102, 106(a), 8020, 8041, 8061, 8062(a)(2), 8063, 8066, 8068, 8106(d)*For dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions.
Statement of Qualifications (Optional)
A candidate for state legislative office who accepts voluntary expenditure limits may purchase space in the County Voter Information Guide to print a Statement of Qualifications not to exceed 250 words. No statement shall be made public until the entire Voter Information Guide is available for public viewing. See requirements for preparing candidates’ statements in this guide.
Government Code §85601Elections Code §13311
Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700)
Government Code §87300 requires every agency to adopt a Conflict of Interest Code. A Conflict of Interest Code is a document that designates the positions within an agency, which make or participate in making governmental decisions that may have a foreseeable material effect on any financial interest.
Each candidate must file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) not later than the final filing date for the Declaration of Candidacy. Elected officials must also file Statements of Economic Interests within (30) days after assuming office, annually, and within (30) days of leaving office. If an individual is appointed to an office, he or she must file not more than (30) days after assuming office. Under certain conditions, the Statement of Economic Interests need not be filed if such a statement was filed within (60) days prior to the filing of a Declaration of Candidacy or the date of assuming office.
Government Code §§87200 et seq.*For dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions.
Voluntary Code of Fair Campaign Practices
At the time an individual files his or her Declaration of Candidacy, Nomination Petition, or any other paper evidencing an intention to be a candidate for public office, the county elections official shall give the individual a copy of the Code of Fair Campaign Practices and a copy of the provisions of Ch. 5, Div. 20 of the Elections Code.
Elections Code §20440California Political Cyberfraud Abatement Act
As defined in Elections Code §18320 it is unlawful for a person, with intent to mislead, deceive, or defraud, to commit an act of political cyberfraud.
Elections Code §18320Campaign Committee Filing Obligations
See General Information on Campaign Filing Obligations in this guide or the appropriate Fair Political Practices Commission Manual.
Important Summary Information
Filing Fees
| Judge of the Superior Court | $2,138.33 or 6,416 Signatures-in-lieu |
Nomination Signatures
| Judge of the Superior Court | 20-40 |
Statement of Qualifications
| Judge of the Superior Court | Estimated costs on the page: Statement of Qualifications |
Filing Periods
| 09/12/19 - 11/6/19 | Filing Period for Signatures-in-lieu of Filing Fees |
| 10/28/19 - 11/6/19 | Filing Period for Declaration of Intention |
| 11/28/19 - 11/7/19 | Extension Period for filing Declaration of Intention |
| 11/11/19* - 12/6/19 | Filing Period for Nomination Documents (Statements of Qualifications must be filed with Nomination Documents) |
| 12/7/19* - 12/11/19 | Extension Period for filing Nomination Documents/ Statement of Qualifications (if incumbent filed a Declaration of Intention but failed to file a Declaration of Candidacy) |
*For dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions.
All Candidates Must File:
- Declaration Of Intention
- Declaration of Candidacy
- Ballot Designation Worksheet
- Nomination Petition
- Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700)
- Campaign Statement Forms (501, 410, 460, 470)
Note: This summary of qualifications and requirements is for general information only and does not have the force and effect of law, regulation or rule. In case of conflict, the law, regulation or rule will apply. The candidate should obtain the most up-to-date information available because of possible changes in law or procedure since the publication of this information.
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