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HomeElections CodeDiv. 11Ch. 1Art. 3§ 11042 Petition Form Filing Deadlines

§ 11042 Petition Form Filing Deadlines

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

§ 11042 Petition Form Filing Deadlines

This law tells people who want to start a petition (like a recall) that they must file two blank copies of the petition within 10 days after the answer deadline, get the election official’s okay on the wording, and wait for that okay before anyone can sign.

Key Takeaways

  • •You must file two blank copies of the petition within 10 days after the answer deadline or after the notice period ends.
  • •The election official (or Secretary of State for a state officer recall) must approve the petition’s form and wording before any signatures are collected.
  • •If the petition isn’t right, you get a written list of needed changes and have another 10 days to file corrected blank copies; this repeats until it’s approved.

Example

A neighborhood group wants to recall a state officer. They publish a notice of intention, then within 10 days they bring two blank copies of their recall petition to the Secretary of State’s office.

The Secretary of State checks the petition’s format and wording. If it’s okay, the group can start collecting signatures. If not, the Secretary tells them what to fix, and they have another 10 days to bring corrected blank copies. This repeats until the petition is approved.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 11042 Petition Form Filing Deadlines

(a) Within 10 days after filing of the answer to the notice of intention, or, if no answer is filed, within 10 days after the expiration of the seven-day period specified in Section 11023, the proponents shall file two blank copies of the petition with the elections official in his or her office during normal office hours as posted or, in the case of a recall of a state officer, with the Secretary of State, in his or her office during normal office hours as posted, who shall ascertain if the proposed form and wording of the petition meets the requirements of this chapter. (b) At the time of the filing of the two blank copies of the petition, the proponents shall also file proof of publication of the notice of intention, if the notice of intention was published, or an affidavit of posting of the notice of intention, if the notice of intention was posted. The elections official or, in the case of a recall of a state officer, the Secretary of State, shall, within 10 days of receiving the blank copies of the petition, notify the proponents in writing of his or her finding. (c) If the elections official finds that the requirements of this chapter are not met, the elections official shall include in his or her findings a statement as to what alterations in the petition are necessary. The proponents shall, within 10 days after receiving the notification, file two blank copies of the corrected petition with the elections official in his or her office during normal office hours as posted. The 10-day correction notification period and the 10-day filing period for corrected petitions shall be repeated until the elections official or the Secretary of State finds no alterations are required. (d) No signature may be affixed to a recall petition until the elections official or, in the case of the recall of a state officer, the Secretary of State, has notified the proponents that the form and wording of the proposed petition meet the requirements of this chapter. (Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

petitionintentionsecretaryexpirationnotificationpublicationstatementcorrection

Related Statutes

  • § 11041 Recall Petition Format Requirements
  • § 9030 Petition Signature Filing Rules
  • § 11043 Petition Signer Information Requirements
  • § 9031 Petition Signature Verification
  • § 9035 Initiative Petition Signature Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 11042.
View Official Source