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HomeElections CodeDiv. 11Ch. 4Art. 2§ 11320 Recall Election Ballot Requirements

§ 11320 Recall Election Ballot Requirements

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

§ 11320 Recall Election Ballot Requirements

This law tells exactly what words must appear on the ballot when voters are asked to recall an elected officer.

Key Takeaways

  • •The ballot must ask a clear Yes/No question about recalling the officer.
  • •Yes and No choices must be shown on separate lines.
  • •The officer can choose to have their party shown, but must tell the Secretary of State by the filing deadline.
  • •If the officer doesn’t give a party or misses the deadline, no party line appears on the ballot.

Example

A city council member is being recalled. Voters will see a question that asks if the council member should be removed, with Yes and No choices, and possibly the council member’s party listed.

The ballot will show: “Shall Jane Doe be recalled (removed) from the office of City Council Member?” with Yes and No options. If Jane Doe wants her party shown, the ballot will also say “Party Preference: Democratic” (or “None” if she has no party). If she doesn’t tell the Secretary of State by the deadline, no party line appears.

How to Calculate

None – the statute does not require any numeric calculation.

  1. There is no formula to compute.
  2. Simply follow the wording rules listed in the statute.

Not applicable – no math needed.

Result: No calculation result.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 11320 Recall Election Ballot Requirements

The following shall appear on the ballots at every recall election, except in the case of a landowner voting district, with respect to each officer sought to be recalled: (a) The question “Shall [name of officer sought to be recalled] be recalled (removed) from the office of [title of office]?” (b) Next to the foregoing question, the words “Yes” and “No” on separate lines with a voting target next to each. (c) If the officer sought to be recalled holds a voter-nominated office, the officer may elect to have the officer’s party preference identified on the ballot. The officer shall inform the Secretary of State whether the officer elects to have a party preference identified on the ballot by the deadline for the officer to file an answer with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 11023. The Secretary of State shall disseminate this information to all appropriate county elections officials. The statement of party preference shall appear immediately to the right of and on the same line as the officer’s name, or immediately below the officer’s name if there is not sufficient space to the right of the officer’s name, and shall appear in substantially the following form: (1) If the officer stated a political party preference on the officer’s affidavit of registration, the statement shall read: “Party Preference:____” (inserting the name of the qualified political party stated on the affidavit of registration.) The listed political party preference shall be the political party preference stated on the officer’s affidavit of registration at the time the notice of intention is filed with the elections official pursuant to Section 11021. (2) If the officer did not state a political party preference on the officer’s affidavit of registration, the statement shall read: “Party Preference: None.” (3) If the officer elects not to have the officer’s political party preference identified on the ballot, or if the officer fails to inform the Secretary of State whether the officer elects to have a party preference identified on the ballot by the deadline for the officer to file an answer with the Secretary of State, the statement of party preference shall not appear on the ballot. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 676, Sec. 10. (AB 1219) Effective January 1, 2024.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

recall electionvoter-nominated officeparty preferenceaffidavit of registrationSecretary of State

Related Statutes

  • § 300.5 Party Affiliation Definition
  • § 11322.5 Recall Election Ballot Instructions
  • § 11324 Recall Election Voter Guide
  • § 11381 Recall Candidate Nomination Rules
  • § 359.5 Voter-Nominated Office Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 11320.
View Official Source