Sections
21 entriesSection 1Establishes that all political power is inherent in the people and that government is instituted for their protection, security, and benefit. Allows…Section 2Allows a United States citizen who is at least 18 years old and resides in California to vote. Requires restoration of voting…Section 2.5Requires every vote cast in an election in accordance with California law to be counted. The protection applies whenever a voter follows…Section 3Requires the Legislature to define electoral residence and establish systems for voter registration and free elections. The provision assigns all three duties…Section 4Requires the Legislature to prohibit improper practices affecting elections and to provide for elector disqualification during mental incompetence or service of a…Section 5Requires a voter-nomination primary for congressional and state offices, allows every qualified voter to choose any candidate regardless of party preference, and…Section 6Establishes all judicial, school, county, and city offices, including the Superintendent of Public Instruction, as nonpartisan. Prohibits political parties and central committees…Section 7Requires voting to be secret, so casting a vote must occur without public disclosure of the voter’s choice. The stated command applies…Section 8Defines initiative as electors’ power to propose and decide statutes or constitutional amendments, requiring petition signatures equal to 5 percent of the…Section 9Defines referendum as electors’ power to approve or reject statutes, excluding urgency, election-calling, tax-levy, and usual-current-expense appropriation laws. Requires a petition within…Section 10Sets an approved initiative statute or referendum to take effect five days after the Secretary of State files the vote statement, unless…Section 11Allows city and county electors to exercise initiative and referendum under legislative procedures and generally preserves charter-city systems. Prohibits local initiatives from…Section 12Prohibits submitting to voters, or giving effect to, any constitutional amendment or statute proposed by the Legislature or initiative that names an…Section 13Defines recall as the electors’ power to remove an elective officer from office. The provision identifies both who holds the power—the electors—and…Section 14Requires a state-officer recall petition to state a reason and be filed within 160 days, without review of the reason’s sufficiency. Sets…Section 15Requires a recall election 60 to 80 days after sufficient signatures are certified, but allows consolidation within 180 days when the next…Section 16Requires the Legislature to establish the procedures for circulating, filing, and certifying recall petitions, nominating candidates, and conducting the recall election. The…Section 17Requires the Lieutenant Governor to perform the Governor’s recall duties when a recall of the Governor is initiated, and requires the Controller…Section 18Requires the State to reimburse a state officer who survives a recall for recall-election expenses that were both legally and personally incurred.…Section 19Requires the Legislature to provide a process for recalling local officers. Exempts counties and cities whose charters already provide for recall, leaving…Section 20Sets constitutionally created elective-office terms, except legislative seats, to begin on the Monday after January 1 following the election. Requires the election…