Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Assistant Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) The period to file as a write-in candidate in the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election begins Monday, January 6, 2020. Eligible persons seeking to run as a write-in candidate must file a Statement of Write-in Candidacy and other documentation by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

For school and special district offices, documents for write-in candidacy are filed at the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402. Candidates are encouraged to contact the Candidate Services Supervisor, Michael Lui, at 650.312.5238 or email candidateservices@smcacre.org to schedule an appointment. City candidates must file their paperwork with their City Clerk’s office.

Potential write-in candidates must file a Statement of Write-In Candidacy providing the candidate’s name and residential address, and a declaration of candidacy for a specifically named office and specific election date, as well as a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700). No filing fee or charge is required.

Information concerning qualified write-in candidates, including their names, will not be printed on voting materials provided to voters such as the Official Ballot or the Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet. However, the Roster of Candidates, which includes qualified write-in candidates, is updated every day and can be viewed online at www.smcacre.org. Additionally, a list of qualified write-in candidates will be available at Vote Centers beginning February 19.

All-Mailed Ballot – Vote Center Election Model for March 3, 2020 Election
The March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election will be the fourth election San Mateo County conducts under the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) model. It is the first Presidential Primary Election to be held under the VCA.

Traditional polling places have been replaced by Vote Centers, which will be open for voting for an extended period, and which will offer expanded voter services, including voter registration, multilingual assistance, and disabled access voting options.  Every registered voter will also receive a Vote by Mail Ballot, which voters can return with no postage required in any mailbox or into secure county ballot drop boxes located throughout the county.

For more information, call 650.312.5222, visit www.smcacre.org or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smcvote.