The Ballot Bulletin

Volume 1, November 2023

From the Desk of the Registrar of Voters

Hello Nevada County voters! I’m proud to offer what I hope will be the first of many editions of our brand new newsletter, The Ballot Bulletin. In here, you’ll find some interesting news about what’s happening in our office, some fun facts, and other great things that our staff are doing to help you exercise your right to vote.

I’ve learned a lot over these past 4-5 years, and one thing is certain: voters are thirsty for information about how elections work. To be perfectly honest, that’s music to my ears! I love the process of elections and want to provide you with the information that you need to cast a vote confidently and securely. I also want to highlight the great work that our office is doing. Elections staff are the unsung heroes of democracy. They are your friends and neighbors and just want to do a good job. You deserve to know how hard they work to ensure your right to vote.

I hope that you enjoy our newsletter and that you read it often!

Natalie Adona

Nevada County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters

Election News: Candidate Season

It is candidate season!

You might be wondering–isn’t it a little too early for the Elections Office to be working on an election that’s taking place on March 5, 2024?

While we understand why you might think that, believe it or not, we start planning elections a year or more ahead of the big day! Part of that process includes candidate filing–we need to know who’s running well in advance of an election so that we know whose names to print on the ballot. Though Nevada County is small but mighty, it takes a lot of time and resources to get all those names sorted out, design the ballots, proof them and get them printed, and then get those ballots mailed out to voters starting 29 days before an election. And that’s just the ballots! We also have a voter information guide that includes candidate statements and endorsements. Voters like you expect to have the voter information guide before you receive a ballot…In short: we work more than just one day every four years!

Candidate filing is currently underway for those seeking to serve on a County Central Committee. In Nevada County, we have Central Committees for all certified political parties. If you are interested in running for Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, or Peace & Freedom County Central Committee, there’s still time! Please contact our office and we’ll get you the paperwork you need to run. You should file as early as you can, but you have until December 8, 2023 by close of business to file.

(By the way–we didn’t forget about the American Independent Party. The party has chosen to select their nominees by caucus, so the American Independent Party Central Committee won’t be on the ballot.)

We’re also accepting Declarations of Intention for Judicial Offices now through November 8, 2023! Anyone who wants to become a County Superior Court Judge must file a Declaration of Intention and meet the qualifications before filing a Declaration of Candidacy.

Candidates who seek to run for voter nominated (i.e., most of the federal and statewide offices) and nonpartisan (i.e., local) offices are currently in the process of collecting signatures in lieu of filing fees. Basically, if you intend to be a candidate and you want to offset your filing fee, you may circulate a Petition In Lieu of Filing Fee. Any signatures that you gather may count toward your nomination and may offset your filing fee. If you ask us for the Petition in Lieu, you have until November 8, 2023 by close of business to file. This is 100% optional for candidates–they don’t need to file a Petition in Lieu in order to run for office.

However, filing a Declaration of Candidacy is required to run for office. The Declaration of Candidacy is a form that candidates complete. It includes the candidate’s name, their preferred ballot designation, and contact information. It also provides the candidate with the opportunity to take an oath of office and declare, under penalty of perjury, that they are qualified for the office that they seek. The Declaration of Candidacy never leaves the Elections Office.

Did You Know?

County Central Committee elections are party-nominated contests. The people who run for County Central Committee are registered party members and represent the local political interests of the county. They work with state party leaders on multiple political and policy issues affecting everyday citizens.

County Central Committee officials run for office every 4 years in the Presidential Primary. You might be wondering: have I ever voted for political party representatives in Nevada County? Well–maybe. The state election laws are complex for County Central Committees.

If the number of candidates exceeds the number of seats for a Central Committee office, then voters who are registered in the same party will get to vote for Central Committee members. If the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of seats for a Central Committee, then those contests will not appear on the ballot and the parties may appoint those who file.

To learn more about County Central Committees, please reach out to your local party leaders.

Word of the Month: CANDIDATE

An individual who has qualified to have his or her name listed on the ballot of any election, or who has qualified to have written votes on his or her behalf counted by election officials, for nomination for, or election to, any state, regional, county, municipal, or district office which is filled at an election.

The term “candidate” actually has several definitions under the law. Want more details? See California Elections Code § 305.

In the Community

We’ve been proud to participate in several events in 2023! Our staff participated this year in the Earth Day Festival in Nevada City in April and at the Nevada County Fair in August, where we helped citizens register to vote and answered questions about our office. We also had a lot of fun at the Latino Family Festival in September, which was a great opportunity to experience the diverse richness and culture of Nevada County. More recently, we helped set up and had a booth at the Heart of Gold bike race in October, where we got a lot of kudos for showing up and supporting our community.

We’ve also hosted several events throughout the year. We have a Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee, Language Accessibility Advisory Committee, and Voter Education and Outreach Committee, all of which have met several times this year. We get regular community feedback from our Advisory Committees and plan on hosting more meetups in the future.

Have an event coming up? Want to know more about how to join an Advisory Committee? Let us know! Call us at 530-265-1298, stop by our office at 950 Maidu Avenue #210 in Nevada City, or email us at elections.mail@nevadacountyca.gov.

March 5, 2024 Offices Up for Election

Not sure what offices are up for election? Check out our website–we’ve got all the offices up for election there!

Becoming a Candidate

Interested in becoming a candidate? Here's how!

Election Administration Plan Approved

The Election Administration Plan is an opportunity for our office to engage with the community and get feedback on where we should consider placing drop box and voting locations, how we can better help voters with specific needs (e.g., voters with disabilities and voters who need language assistance), and how we can better engage with the community in general.

Calling All Election Workers!

Interested in serving in one of our vote centers this election? Serve our community and your country!

Apply Today

950 Maidu Avenue, Suite 210

Nevada City, CA 95959

Phone: 530-265-1298

Toll Free: 1-888-395-1298

TTY: 530-265-1335

Fax: 530-265-9829

Monday - Friday, excluding Holidays

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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