Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 9. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
There shall be a state voter information guide which shall be prepared by the Secretary of State.
California Government Code — §§ 88000-88007
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 9. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
There shall be a state voter information guide which shall be prepared by the Secretary of State.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 10. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
The state voter information guide shall contain all of the following:
of State determines will make the state voter information guide easier to understand or more useful for the average voter.
Senator may purchase the space to place a statement in the state voter information guide that does not exceed 250 words. The statement may not make any reference to any opponent of the candidate. The statement shall be submitted in accordance with timeframes and procedures set forth by the Secretary of State for the preparation of the state voter information guide.
the offices of President and Vice President of the United States.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 11. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
The state voter information guide shall contain as to each state measure to be voted upon, the following in the order set forth in this section:
(A) The identification of the measure by number and title.
(B) The official summary prepared by the Attorney General.
forth in this clause:
(I) A blank horizontal line.
(II) After the text “TOP FUNDERS OF PETITION TO OVERTURN THE LAW:” a listing of the three persons who made the most aggregated contributions and expenditures of $50,000 or more to qualify the referendum as of the last day petitions are filed with an elections official. A person who is required to be listed after the official summary pursuant to this clause is a “top funder.”
(III) If a person that is a primarily formed ballot measure committee within the meaning of Section 82047.5 of the Government Code or a general purpose committee within the meaning of Section 82027.5 of the Government Code is one of the persons who made the most aggregated contributions and expenditures
to qualify the referendum as of the last day petitions are filed with an elections official, the primarily formed committee or general purpose committee shall not be listed as a top funder pursuant to subclause (II), and, instead, the highest contributors to the primarily formed committee or general purpose committee within the prior 90 days shall be listed as top funders pursuant to subclause (II) if their contributions to the primarily formed committee or general purpose committee, combined with all other contributions and expenditures to qualify the referendum, qualify the person or persons as top funders.
(ii) The name of a top funder may be shortened at the discretion of the Secretary of State by using acronyms, abbreviations, or by leaving out words in the entity’s name, as long as doing so would not confuse or mislead voters about the
identity of a top funder.
(iii) Each top funder shall be printed in a font size that is the same as a majority of the text on the page and separated by a semicolon.
(iv) The Secretary of State shall determine the list of top funders no later than the date a referendum qualifies for the ballot.
(C) The total number of votes cast for and against the measure in both the State Senate and Assembly if the measure was passed by the Legislature.
the amount of space the information described in paragraph (1) has taken for purposes of determining compliance with the restriction prohibiting the information described in paragraph (1) from exceeding one-third of the page.
ballot measure, and information on how to access the committee’s top 10 contributors.
provisions of the proposed measure differing from the existing provisions of law affected shall be distinguished in print, so as to facilitate comparison.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 12. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 13. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
The Legislative Analyst shall prepare an impartial analysis of the measure describing the measure and including a fiscal analysis of the measure showing the amount of any increase or decrease in revenue or cost to state or local government. Any estimate of increased cost to local governments shall be set out in boldface print in the state voter information guide. The analysis shall be written in clear and concise terms which will easily be understood by the average voter, and shall avoid the use of technical terms wherever possible. The analysis may contain background information, including the effect of the measure on existing law and the effect of enacted legislation which will become effective if the measure is adopted, and shall generally set forth in an
impartial manner the information which the average voter needs to understand the measure adequately. The Legislative Analyst may contract with professional writers, educational specialists, or other persons for assistance in writing an analysis that fulfills the requirements of this section, including the requirement that the analysis be written so that it will be easily understood by the average voter. The Legislative Analyst may also request the assistance of any state department, agency, or official in preparing the Legislative Analyst’s analysis. Prior to submission of the analysis to the Secretary of State, the Legislative Analyst shall submit the analysis to a committee of five persons appointed by the Legislative Analyst for the purpose of reviewing the analysis to confirm its clarity and easy comprehension to the average voter. The committee shall be drawn from the public at large, and one member
shall be a specialist in education, one shall be bilingual, and one shall be a professional writer. Members of the committee shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties. Within five days of the submission of the analysis to the committee, the committee shall make such recommendations to the Legislative Analyst as it deems appropriate to guarantee that the analysis can be easily understood by the average voter. The Legislative Analyst shall consider the committee’s recommendations, and the Legislative Analyst shall incorporate in the analysis those changes recommended by the committee that the Legislative Analyst deems to be appropriate. The Legislative Analyst is solely responsible for determining the content of the analysis required by this section. The title and summary of any measure which appears on the ballot shall be amended to contain a summary
of the Legislative Analyst’s estimate of the net state and local government financial impact. For state bond measures that are submitted to the voters for their approval or rejection, the summary of the Legislative Analyst’s estimate of the net state and local government fiscal impact shall include an explanatory table of the information in the summary.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 14. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
Measures shall be printed in the state voter information guide, so far as possible, in the same order, manner, and form in which they are designated upon the ballot.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 15. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
The state voter information guide shall be printed according to the following specifications:
The Legislative Counsel shall prepare and proofread the texts of all measures and the provisions which are repealed or revised.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 16. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026. Note: This section was added on June 4, 1974, by initiative Prop. 9.
Not less than 20 days before submitting the copy for the state voter information guide to the State Printer, the Secretary of State shall make the copy available for public examination. Any elector may seek a writ of mandate requiring the copy to be amended or deleted from the state voter information guide. A peremptory writ of mandate shall issue only upon clear and convincing proof that the copy in question is false, misleading, or inconsistent with the requirements of this chapter or the Elections Code, and that issuance of the writ will not substantially interfere with the printing and distribution of the state voter information guide as required by law. Venue for a proceeding under this section shall be exclusively in Sacramento County. The Secretary of State
shall be named as the respondent and the State Printer and the person or official who authored the copy in question shall be named as real parties in interest. If the proceeding is initiated by the Secretary of State, the State Printer shall be named as the respondent.
Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 249, Sec. 17. (AB 1511) Effective January 1, 2026.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 81012, the Legislature may without restriction amend this chapter to add to the state voter information guide information regarding candidates or any other information.