Note: California’s primary election moves back to March in presidential election years.
2026 Dates & Deadlines
| Description of Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Signatures-In-Lieu of Filing Period | December 11, 2025 – February 4, 2026 |
| Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Paper Period | February 9, 2026 – March 6, 2026 |
| Candidate Statement Period for County Voter Information Guides | February 9, 2026 – March 6, 2026 |
| Randomized Alphabet Drawing | March 12, 2026 |
| Notice to Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices | March 21, 2026* |
| Certified List of Candidates | March 26, 2026 |
| Statewide Direct Primary Election | June 2, 2026 |
A full calendar and explanatory information can be found at the California Secretary of State website.
For the Democratic Party Endorsement – 2026 dates not yet available, 2024 dates below for reference
| Description of Event | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Candidate Registration Period | August 14, 2023 – October 13, 2023 |
| Pre-Endorsement Conference Results Released and Certified | October 25, 2023 |
| CADEM General Body Votes to Ratify Consent Calendar | November 19, 2023 |
For more information on the CA Democratic Party endorsement process, see the CDP guide.
