California law allows candidates running for a federal or state office to have a candidate statement included in the state Voter Information Guide, on the Secretary of State website, or in certain cases, in the county Voter Information Guide, depending on the office.
Some candidates must accept campaign finance spending limits in order to purchase space for a candidate statement, as outlined below.
For more information, please contact the Elections Division at (916) 657-2166 or by email at Candidate-Statements@sos.ca.gov.
U.S. Senate and Statewide Constitutional Candidates
Candidates running for U.S. Senate and statewide constitutional office may purchase space for a 250-word statement in the state Voter Information Guide. The statement may not make any reference to any opponent of the candidate (Government Code section 85601(a)). The statement shall be limited to a recitation of the candidate’s own personal background and qualifications.
The candidate statement and accompanying forms may also be submitted via email or fax before the deadline. Candidate statements and accompanying forms may be scanned and emailed to Candidate-Statements@sos.ca.gov or faxed to (916) 653-3214 by the deadline.
The original copies of the signed forms must be received at the SOS Elections Division within 72 hours of submittal.
Candidate Statement Guidelines (PDF)
United States House of Representatives Candidates
Candidates running for the United States House of Representatives may purchase space for a 250-word statement in the county Voter Information Guide of the county or counties in their jurisdiction. The statement may not make any reference to any opponent of the candidate (Elections Code section 13307.5).
Legislative Candidates
State Senate and Assembly candidates, who choose to keep their campaign spending under specified dollar limits, may purchase space in the county Voter Information Guide for a 250-word candidate statement (Government Code section 85601(c)).
Listed below are cost estimates provided by county elections officials of how much they plan to charge for legislative and congressional candidate statements in their county voter information guides. Please note that these are estimates and are subject to change.
- Cost Estimates for State Legislative and U.S. Congressional Candidate Statements (as of 7/22/2022) (PDF) | (XLS)
For additional information, please contact your county elections official.
Proposition 34 Candidate Statement Provisions
Proposition 34 established voluntary spending limits for candidates running for statewide office, the State Senate, and the State Assembly. Candidates who choose to accept the spending limits are able to purchase space for a 250-word candidate statement in either the state Voter Information Guide or in the county Voter Information Guide, depending on the office.
To accept the spending limits, candidates running for statewide office or state Senate or state Assembly, must file a Candidate Statement of Intention (Form 501) with the Secretary of State's Political Reform Division indicating whether they intend to abide by the spending limits prior to submitting a candidate statement. The following voluntary expenditure ceilings are effective for elections held between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022. (Regulation 18545)
| Prop. 34 Voluntary Expenditure Limit (For elections held on or after January 1, 2021) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Office | 250-word Candidate Statement Location |
Primary/Special Election | General/Special Runoff Election |
| President and Vice President of the United States |
Secretary of State Website |
N/A | N/A |
| United States Senate | State Voter Information Guide |
N/A | N/A |
| United States Representative | County Voter Information Guide |
N/A | N/A |
| Governor | State Voter Information Guide |
$9,728,000 | $16,212,000 |
| Lieutenant Governor | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 |
$9,728,000 |
| Secretary of State | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Controller | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Treasurer | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Attorney General | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Insurance Commissioner | State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction |
State Voter Information Guide |
$6,485,000 | $9,728,000 |
| Member, State Board of Equalization |
State Voter Information Guide |
$1,621,000 | $2,432,000 |
| State Senator | County Voter Information Guide |
$973,000 | $1,459,000 |
| Member of the State Assembly | County Voter Information Guide |
$649,000 | $1,135,000 |
