If you’ve voted before, chances are you’ve come across a candidate or two who seemed kind of … unconventional. A gubernatorial candidate whose official statement was just: “F all politicians.” A tech billionaire who ran for Senate just so he could warn everyone about the dangers of self-driving cars. Angelyne. And you’ve likely come across dozens more names who seemed like … well, just random people.
You might have wondered, “How did all these people get on to the ballot to begin with?”
That process is actually happening right now. This week marks the final deadlines to file to run in the March 2024 primary election, and candidates are wrapping up their paperwork in these final hours. Soon, we’ll have our full list of candidates for city, county, state, and federal offices.
The way things are looking, there are going to be a lot of names on your ballot.
Running for elected office is a big commitment. You have to finance a whole campaign. Craft a message that will resonate with the public. Meet constituents and listen to their concerns. Shoulder the responsibility of serving in office, should you be lucky enough to win.
But the work begins even earlier than that. It begins with just getting your name on the ballot. Here’s how that happens.
Step 1: Meet the qualification requirements
Qualification requirements vary depending on the office you’re running for.
Interested in a seat on the LAUSD board? You just need to be a registered voter within LAUSD boundaries and be a resident of the district you’re running in as of Oct. 7, 2023.
If you’re angling for, say, district attorney, you have to be a registered voter in the…
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