Write-in candidates planning to compete in local, state and federal races this fall have until Oct. 25 to file their nomination papers, county election officials said.
The filing period for write-in candidates running in the Nov. 8 general election opened Monday, said Deputy County Clerk Olivia Lopez.
Write-in candidates fill out the same nomination forms as regular candidates but do not pay a filing fee, she said. As a result, their names do not appear on the ballot, but rather on a candidates' list distributed to each polling place on election day.
Write-in candidates can file nomination papers with the county registrar's office. Those seeking city council seats can file with city clerks.
Depending on the race, write-in candidates must collect a certain number of signatures of registered voters to qualify for the general election, Lopez said.
So far, Robert Hamming of Ventura is the only write-in candidate to file nomination papers, Lopez said. Hamming is running for the U. S. Senate as an independent. The last day to register to vote this year is Oct. 11.
