California Secretary of State Construes Top-Two Rules to Increase Number of Signatures in Lieu of Filing Fee Twenty-Fold, for Minor Parties

Ballot Access News:

"On December 16, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a proclamation for a special election, State Senate district 28, in western Los Angeles County. This will be the first election under top-two rules.

The Secretary of State then posted the requirements to get on the ballot in that special election. Even though Proposition 14 and its implementing language, SB 6, did not amend the election law on signatures in lieu of filing fee, the Secretary of State is interpreting the new rules to require twenty times as many signatures for members of small qualified parties, than before.

Under the old rules, members of small qualified parties needed, at most, 150 signatures of party members, to avoid paying the filing fee, which is 1% if the annual salary of the office being sought (for U.S. House and state legislature), and 2% (for statewide office other than President). Under the new interpretation, members of small qualified parties need 3,000 signatures in lieu of the filing fee (for U.S. House and state legislature) and 10,000 signatures (for statewide office other than President)."