Political party organization: county central committees.

Existing law establishes the political party organizations of the Democratic Party of California, the California Republican Party, the American Independent Party of California, and the Peace and Freedom Party of California. Existing law requires the members of a county central committee of each of those parties be elected in each county at every statewide direct primary election. This bill would delete the requirement that those members be elected at every statewide direct primary election and instead would permit those members to be elected at every presidential primary election. This bill would specify that a county central committee of any of those parties, in accordance with specified rules and regulations, may select its members at any time by holding a caucus or convention, or by using any other approved method of selection. If a county elections official finds that the number of candidates nominated for a political party's county central committee does not exceed the number to be elected, existing law requires that the designation of the office and the names of the candidates not be printed on the party's ballot, unless a petition is filed indicating that a write-in campaign will be conducted for the office. In lieu thereof, existing law requires the county board of supervisors to declare elected those candidates who have been nominated, and states that those candidates are entitled to receive certificates of election in the same manner as other candidates elected to the committee. This bill would delete the exception for petitions indicating a write-in campaign will be conducted and would delete the provision relating to candidates' entitlements to receive certificates of election. Existing law requires that a candidate for membership on a county central committee must be affiliated with the political party of that committee for not less than 3 months immediately prior to presenting his or her declaration of candidacy, and requires that the candidate must not have been affiliated with any other political party within 12 months prior to filing a declaration of candidacy. This bill would permit a county central committee to establish the length of time that a candidate for membership on the committee must be affiliated with the party of that committee, or must not have been affiliated with any other political party. Existing law requires a candidate for membership on a county central committee to file nomination forms, as specified. Existing law requires that the nomination forms be made available on the 113th day prior to a direct primary election and be delivered no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 88th day prior to the direct primary election. This bill would instead require that the nomination forms for candidates for county central committees be available 158 days prior to the primary election. This bill would provide that its provisions are severable.