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HomeElections CodeDiv. 10Pt. 2Ch. 2Art. 2§ 10221 Nomination Paper Signatures

§ 10221 Nomination Paper Signatures

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 10221 Nomination Paper Signatures

This rule says all signatures on a nomination paper must be on the same page with the signer’s address, and once the paper is filed you can’t go back for more signatures; if you don’t have enough, you get a new “supplemental” paper to finish the job.

Key Takeaways

  • •All signatures must be on the same sheet and include the signer’s address.
  • •Once the nomination paper is filed, you cannot retrieve it to add more signatures.
  • •If the paper doesn’t have enough valid signatures, the elections official returns a copy showing which ones count and gives a supplemental petition to collect the missing signatures.
  • •The supplemental petition looks just like the original but has the word “Supplemental” on it and must be filed by the deadline.

Example

Jane wants to run for city council. She gathers 30 neighbor signatures on one sheet, writes each neighbor’s street address, and hands the paper to the elections office. The office later finds only 20 signatures are valid. They give Jane a copy showing which 20 are good and hand her a supplemental petition to collect the remaining signatures before the filing deadline.

Jane can’t take the original paper back to get more names. Instead, the elections office marks the good signatures, gives her a new paper labeled “Supplemental,” and she must finish collecting signatures and file it by the last day allowed.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 10221 Nomination Paper Signatures

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the signatures to each nomination paper shall be appended on the same sheet of paper, and each signer shall add his or her place of residence, giving the street and number, if any, or another designation of his or her place of residence, so as to enable its location to be readily ascertained. (b) Once a nomination paper is filed with the elections official, the nomination paper may not be returned to the candidate to obtain additional signatures. If the nomination paper is determined to be insufficient or the candidate fails to obtain the correct number of valid signatures on his or her nomination paper, the elections official shall retain the original nomination paper, provide a copy of the nomination paper to the candidate with an indication on of which signatures are valid, and issue one supplemental petition to the candidate on which the candidate may collect additional signatures. The supplemental petition shall be filed not later than the last day for filing for that office. The form of the supplemental petition shall be the same as the nomination paper, except that the word “Supplemental” shall be inserted above the phrase “Nomination Paper.” (Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 785, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2005.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

nomination papersignaturesplace of residencesupplemental petition

Related Statutes

  • § 10222 Nomination Paper Affidavit Requirement
  • § 10226 Nomination Paper Requirements
  • § 10220 Municipal Candidate Nomination Rules
  • § 10223 Nomination Paper Requirements
  • § 6361 Nomination Paper Signer Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 10221.
View Official Source