Article 1 - Delegates

California Elections Code — §§ 7550-7561

Sections (7)

§ 7550

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

The state convention shall consist of one delegate for each of the following officers:

(a)Governor.

(b)Lieutenant Governor.

(c)Treasurer.

(d)Controller.

(e)Attorney General.

(f)Secretary of State.

(g)All members of the State Board of Equalization.

(h)All Senators and Representatives of Congress from California.

(i)All Members of the Legislature.

(j)National committeemen and committeewomen.

(k)Chairperson and state vice chairperson of the state central committee.

§ 7551

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

The state convention shall be composed of the following delegates:

(a)Each officer named in Section 7550 who was nominated and elected as a candidate of the party and whose term of office extends beyond the first Monday in December in the case of legislators and the Monday after January 1 in the case of other officers next following the direct primary election, or the appointee or successor appointed, elected, or otherwise designated by law to fill a vacancy in the office of any such officer.

These delegates are “holdover delegates.”

(b)Each candidate of the party in whose behalf nomination papers were filed and who was nominated at the direct primary election by that party. These delegates are “nominee delegates.” Nominees for an office the term of which extends beyond two years are delegates to each succeeding state convention until that following the direct primary election at which nominations for the office are again to be made. If a candidate is a “nominee delegate” to the state convention held in the year in which he or she is nominated, and is elected to the office at the succeeding general election, he or she shall be considered a “holdover delegate” to the state convention of his or her party in the next odd-numbered year, if his or her party is required to hold the convention.

(c)One delegate appointed for each of the officers named in Section 7550 not

represented by a “holdover delegate” nor by a “nominee delegate” of the party. These delegates shall be chosen and appointed in the manner provided in this chapter for filing vacancies in the state convention and shall be known as “appointive delegates.”

§ 7555

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

Membership in the state convention shall not be granted to any party nominee unless he or she is registered as being a member of this party.

§ 7556

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

A vacancy exists in the membership under any of the following circumstances:

(a)When there is no “holdover delegate” nor “nominee delegate” of the party.

(b)When any nominee is disqualified for membership under the provisions of Section 7555 or for any other reason stated in this division.

(c)When no nomination for an elective office has been made.

(d)When a delegate dies prior to the convention.

§ 7557

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

Delegates shall be appointed to fill vacancies in the membership as follows:

(a)If the vacancy occurs in a senatorial or Assembly district situated wholly within the limits of a single county, by appointment by the county central committee of the party in the county. Whenever a vacancy occurs by reason of the failure to nominate a person affiliated with the party, no person shall be chosen to fill the vacancy who does not reside in the senatorial or Assembly district involved.

(b)If the vacancy occurs in a senatorial or Assembly district comprising two or more counties, parts of two or more counties, or one or more counties and parts of one or more counties, by appointment by the county central committee representing more voters affiliated with the American Independent Party than does any other county central committee in the district.

(c)If there is no county central committee qualified to act, or the qualified county central committee fails to act, under the provisions of subdivision (a) or (b) of this section, the appointment shall be made by the state central committee of the party.

(d)If the vacancy occurs as to a delegate for a United States Senator from California or as to a delegate for any of the state officers named in Section 7550 by appointment by the state central committee of

the party.

(e)If the vacancy occurs as to a delegate for any Representative in Congress from California, by appointment by the state central committee of the party of a voter who resides within the congressional district to be represented.

§ 7559

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

A county central committee may authorize its chairperson to appoint delegates to fill vacancies in the membership of party state conventions that the county central committee has power to fill.

§ 7561

Enacted by Stats. 1994, Ch. 920, Sec. 2.

If a person is a delegate to the state convention and qualified independently of that fact to be a delegate to the same state convention, he or she shall be a delegate by reason of the most recent election at which he or she becomes a delegate. The resulting vacancy shall be filled pursuant to Section 7557.