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AB-1539 • 2026

Presidential elections: qualifications for office.

Presidential elections: qualifications for office.

Crime Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Addis
Last action
Official status
Senate - Appropriations
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

AB-1539: Presidential Election Qualification Certifications

This law requires representatives of political parties, independent candidates, and write-in candidates to certify under penalty of perjury that their presidential nominees meet the Twenty-Second Amendment limits before they can appear on the ballot.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a representative of each qualified political party, independent candidate, or write-in candidate to certify to the Secretary of State that their nominees for President and Vice President are eligible under the Twenty-Second Amendment.
  • Mandates that these certifications be made under penalty of perjury.
  • Sets a deadline for certification 75 days before the general election for qualified political parties and independent candidates.
  • Sets a later deadline for write-in candidate certification 14 days before the general election.
  • Prohibits placing nominee names on the ballot if the required certification is not submitted by the correct date.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Representatives of qualified political parties
  • Independent presidential candidates and their representatives
  • Write-in presidential candidates and their representatives
  • The Secretary of State

Terms To Know

Twenty-Second Amendment
A rule in the U.S. Constitution that says no person can be elected President more than twice.
Certify under penalty of perjury
To make a formal statement and agree to face legal punishment if the information is false, as this bill expands the crime of perjury.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The effective date of the law is not provided in the source material.
  • The specific reason why no state reimbursement is required for local agencies is stated but not detailed in the text.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Senate - Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Presidential elections: qualifications for office.