AB 868: Primary elections: county officers: top two candidates.

Existing law provides that a candidate for a nonpartisan office who at a primary election receives votes on a majority of all the ballots cast for candidates for that office is elected to that office.

This bill would exempt from that provision candidates for county nonpartisan offices, including a county office in a charter county, but not including a charter city and county, and would require the candidates who received the highest and second highest number of votes cast for nomination to that office to be placed on the ballot at the ensuing general election, except as specified. By imposing new duties on counties, including county elections officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.