California Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in California, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the California voter file.
5%
Of enrolled voters — U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor
2026 filing windows have closed — confirm dates with your election authority.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor | — | 5% | |
| Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller | — | 5% |
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Official sources
Always confirm requirements and deadlines with the official California election authority before you file:
California Secretary of StateFrequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in California?
California signature requirements vary by office. U.S. Representative, State Senator, State Representative, Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary Of State, State Treasurer, State Comptroller: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in California?
Filing windows for California have closed or vary by office. Create a free account and confirm dates with your election authority.
Can I validate California petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the California voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Petition requirements in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- District of Columbia
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on July 17, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.