§ 85200

(a) Before becoming a candidate for a specific office, an individual shall file a statement of intention to be a candidate, signed under penalty of perjury.

(1) An individual who intends to be a candidate for elective state office shall file the statement of intention online or electronically with the Secretary of State.

(2) An individual who intends to be a candidate for any other elective office shall file the statement of intention with the same filing officer and in the same location as the individual would file an original campaign report pursuant to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) of Section 84215.

(b) Candidates and officeholders who do not intend to qualify as a committee pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 82013 shall indicate this status on the statement of intention.

(1) Each candidate or officeholder who has indicated their intention to not qualify as a committee pursuant to this subdivision, but thereafter qualifies as a committee by receiving contributions or making expenditures totaling two thousand dollars ($2,000) or more in a calendar year, shall amend their statement of intention with the Secretary of State or their local filing officer within 48 hours of qualifying and register as a committee pursuant to Section 84101.

(2) For the purposes of this subdivision, in calculating whether two thousand dollars ($2,000) in expenditures have been made, payments for a filing fee or for a statement of qualification shall not be included if the payments are made from the candidate’s personal funds.

(c) For purposes of this section, “contribution” does not include any payments from the candidate’s personal funds for a candidate filing fee or a candidate statement of qualifications fee.

(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 662, Sec. 29) by Stats. 2025, Ch. 278, Sec. 57. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2026. Conditionally operative pursuant to Sec. 78 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 278. Note: This section was added on June 7, 1988, by initiative Prop. 73.)