California Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in California, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the California voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller | — | 5% |
| U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor | — | 5% |
2026 petition deadlines
Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller
- Primary petition opens:
- February 9, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 13, 2026
- General petition opens:
- June 3, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- August 21, 2026
- Primary election:
- June 2, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor
- Primary petition opens:
- February 5, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 6, 2026
- General petition opens:
- June 3, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- August 3, 2026
- Primary election:
- June 2, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeCalifornia petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Statewide candidates: filing fee or petition in lieu of fee with 10,000 signatures
Primary petition — deadline rules
Filing window February 9 through March 13
General petition — signature rules
Top-Two general — top two finishers regardless of party advance to general
General petition — deadline rules
Independent candidates: not applicable (Top-Two)
Primary petition — signature rules
US House: 3,000 signatures or 1% of registered voters in district; State Senate: 3,000 signatures; State Assembly: 1,500 signatures
Primary petition — deadline rules
Nomination papers must be filed 88-68 days before the primary election
General petition — signature rules
Top two candidates from primary advance to general election (may be from same party)
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in California?
California signature requirements vary by office. Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller: 5% of enrolled voters; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in California?
For the 2026 cycle in California, the primary petition deadline is March 13, 2026, and the general petition deadline is August 21, 2026. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate California petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the California voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on May 27, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.