Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Asst. Chief Elections Officer & Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) Mark Church, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Chief Elections Officer announces that the period to file as a write-in candidate for the June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election opens today, April 6, 2026. Eligible individuals seeking to run as a write-in candidate must file a Statement of Write-In Candidacy and other documentation by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. 

Write-in candidacy documents are filed at the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402. 

Candidates may begin the filing process by requesting a registration form by email at CandidateServices@smcacre.gov. They may also schedule an appointment at smcacre.gov/appointments or walk in to obtain the form and may complete it in person. The form may also be returned via email to CandidateServices@smcacre.gov. Upon receiving the submitted form, our office will contact the write-in candidate to schedule an electronic or in-person filing appointment to complete the filing process. 

Please email CandidateServices@smcacre.gov or call (650) 312-5222 with write-in candidate questions and/or to schedule an appointment to review the write-in candidate process and requirements. 

Potential write-in candidates must file a Statement of Write-In Candidacy, providing the candidate’s name and residential address, a declaration of candidacy for a specifically named office, the specific election date, and a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700). All documents must be filed at the same time. No filing fee is required. 

Information concerning qualified write-in candidates, including their names, will not be printed on voting materials provided to voters, such as the Official Ballot or the Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet. However, the Roster of Candidates, including qualified write-in candidates, is updated daily and can be viewed online at smcacre.gov. Additionally, a list of qualified write-in candidates will be available at Vote Centers beginning Friday, May 22, 2026. 

Early Voting Period Begins May 4, 2026
All registered voters in San Mateo County will be mailed a Vote by Mail ballot in May 2026. Three Vote Centers will open for in-person voting beginning May 4, 2026, with additional Vote Centers opening through Election Day. 

For more information about the June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election, call or text (650) 312-5222, visit www.smcacre.gov, or follow us on X @smcvote and Instagram @sanmateocountyvote.