Chapter 3 - Vacancies in Congressional Offices caused by Catastrophe

California Elections Code — §§ 10730-10735

Sections (6)

Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 306, Sec. 2. (SB 211) Effective January 1, 2011.

(a)This chapter provides the procedures for nomination and election of candidates at a special election to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives caused by a catastrophe.

(b)The procedures provided by Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10700) shall apply to special elections to the extent those provisions are not inconsistent with this chapter or Section 8 of Title 2 of the United States Code.

§ 10731

Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 306, Sec. 3. (SB 211) Effective January 1, 2011.

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a)“Catastrophe” means a natural or man-made event that causes a vacancy in at least 101 of the offices of the United States House of Representatives, including at least one of the offices representing California, or at least one-fourth of the total number of offices representing California.

(b)“Vacancy” means the death or disappearance, as a result of a catastrophe, of a Representative in Congress.

(c)“Disappearance” means the inability to establish conclusively whether a Representative in

Congress has survived a catastrophe.

§ 10732

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 658, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.

Within seven calendar days of a catastrophe, the Governor shall issue a proclamation calling a special election pursuant to Section 10703.

§ 10733

Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 306, Sec. 4. (SB 211) Effective January 1, 2011.

(a)In the event of a catastrophe that causes a vacancy in at least 101 of the offices of the United States House of Representatives, including at least one of the offices representing California, a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress shall be conducted on a Tuesday not more than 49 days following the announcement of the vacancy by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 8 of Title 2 of the United States Code. Notwithstanding Section 10732, the Governor shall issue a proclamation calling the special election within one day of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives announcing the vacancy. In the event of a catastrophe that causes a

vacancy in at least one-fourth of the total offices of the United States House of Representatives representing California but not a vacancy in at least 101 of the offices of the United States House of Representatives, the special election shall occur on a Tuesday not more than 49 days following the issuance of an election proclamation by the Governor.

(b)A special election may be conducted within 75 days following the proclamation in order that the special election may be consolidated with the next regularly scheduled statewide election or local election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory in which the vacancy exists, provided that the voters eligible to vote in the local election comprise at least 50 percent of all the voters eligible to vote on the vacancy.

(c)A special election to fill a vacancy caused by a catastrophe that causes vacancies in at least 101

of the offices of the United States House of Representatives pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be conducted if any of the following is scheduled to occur within 75 days of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives calling the vacancy:

(1)A regularly scheduled general election for the vacant office.

(2)A special election for the vacant office, conducted pursuant to a proclamation issued by the Governor prior to the date on which the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives announced the vacancy.

§ 10734

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 161, Sec. 26. (AB 2608) Effective August 22, 2022.

A special primary election shall not be held for a special general election conducted pursuant to this chapter. Candidates at the special general election shall be nominated in the manner set forth in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 8000) of Part 1 of Division 8, except that nomination papers shall not be circulated more than 46 days before the special general election, shall be left with the county elections official for examination not less than 39 days before the special general election, and shall be filed with the Secretary of State not less than 35 days before the special general election.

§ 10735

Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 560, Sec. 8. (AB 1417) Effective January 1, 2014.

(a)(1) In the case of a special election due to a catastrophe that causes a vacancy in at least 101 offices of the United States House of Representatives, the county elections official shall, to the greatest extent practicable, deliver vote by mail ballots requested pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 3101) of Division 3 not later than 15 days after the date on which the Speaker of the United States House of

Representatives announces the vacancy.

(2)In the case of a special election due to a catastrophe that causes a vacancy in at least one-fourth of the total offices of the United States House of Representatives representing California but not a vacancy in at least 101 of the offices of the United States House of Representatives, the county elections official shall, to the greatest extent practicable, deliver vote by mail ballots requested pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 3101) of Division 3 not later than 15 days after the date on which the Governor issues the proclamation calling the election to fill the vacancy.

(b)A vote by mail ballot cast pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 3101) of Division 3 in a special general election

conducted pursuant to this chapter shall be postmarked not later than the date of the election, shall be received by the county elections official not later than 45 days after the date on which the elections official transmitted the ballot to the voter, and shall comply with all other relevant requirements of this code.

(c)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any deadlines relating to canvassing, announcement of election results, or certification of election results may be extended for a reasonable period of time to facilitate the tabulating and processing of ballots cast pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section

3101) of Division 3. An extension of a deadline pursuant to this section must be authorized by the Secretary of State.