FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. A.
How many Council seats will be open for this election?
Four Council seats representing Ward 3,5,6, and 7 will be voted on for the 2024 election.
Q.
What are the eligibility requirements for running for a City Council seat?
A. Only registered voters of the City shall be eligible to hold the office of Council member or Mayor. Those elected shall have been qualified electors and residents of their respective wards for a period of at least thirty (30) consecutive days immediately preceding the date of filing their nomination papers for the office. If an elected official moves from their place of residence outside of their respective District or City limits or ceases to be an elector of the City during their term of office, the office of that elected official shall immediately become vacant. (California Government Code [“G.C.”] §36502.) Q. What are some City Council responsibilities? A. Some include participating in State and local committees, Community meetings, Council meetings, and attending various community events as a representative of the City of San Bernardino. Q. Is there a filing fee involved in my candidacy? A. Yes! There is a $25 filing fee for a candidate for municipal office in San Bernardino. A deposit will also be required to cover the cost of printing and the required translation of the Candidate Statement if you choose to file one. Q. Who can sign my nomination paper? A. Any registered voter in the jurisdiction of the incorporated City of San Bernardino residing within the Candidate Specific Council District may sign a nomination paper. This includes the candidate and/or the circulator. No voter may sign more than one nomination paper for the same office. Each seat on the City Council is a separate office. Your nomination paper must contain at least 20 and no more than 30 signatures; a minimum of 20 must be verified for your nomination to be valid. Q. When does a candidate’s nomination become public? A. A candidate’s name becomes public information from the time a candidate submits his/her nomination paper or files a Candidate Intention Statement (Form 501). The nomination paper, however, is not immediately available for the public view. Q. What happens if some of the signatures I obtain on my nomination paper are disqualified? A. These signatures will not be counted toward the 20 signatures required for you to run for office. You must have 20 valid signatures to qualify as a candidate. The petition has 30 lines for signatures, so it is advisable to get all thirty lines with qualified signatures. You may also want to file your nomination paper as early as possible so that the signatures can be validated. If you file early, you may still have an opportunity to receive and circulate a Supplemental Nomination Paper to obtain additional signatures in order to qualify you as a candidate. Q. What if I change my mind about running for office after filing nomination paper? A. You may withdraw as a candidate at any time PRIOR to the close of the nomination period, Friday, December 8, 2023. You are NOT permitted to officially withdraw after that date, and your name will appear on the ballot. Q. May I change or correct the spelling/wording on my Candidate Statement after it has been submitted? A. No, you may not. Check your Candidate’s Statement carefully before it is submitted. It will be printed exactly as submitted. It can be withdrawn until 5:00 p.m. of the next working day following the close of the filing period, assuming all nomination paper signatures have been verified. Q. Does it cost anything to open a committee and file a Statement of Organization (Form 410)? A. Yes, effective January 1, 2013 (pursuant to SB 1001 (Yee)) all committees required to file the Form 410 must pay a $50“annual” fee to the Secretary of State, the fee must be paid within 15 days of filing the Form 410. The annual fee must be paid no later than January 15 of each year until the committee terminates. If you have questions, please call the Secretary of State’s Office at (916) 653-6224. Q. May I circulate Vote-By-Mail ballot applications? A. Yes, an individual, group or organization may distribute applications for Vote-By-Mail ballots. However, applications must use the uniform format approved by the Secretary of State. See the Secretary of State guidelines for distributing Vote-By-Mail Application. Q. When officeholders or candidates receive contributions of $2,000 or more, are they required to have a committee? A. Yes, an officeholder or candidate who receives contributions (including loans) that total $2,000 or more in a calendar year must file a Statement of Organization, Form 410.
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