September 14, 2021 Information for Candidates

This page is only meant to provide a brief overview of the steps and requirements involved in becoming a candidate for District Attorney in the election to recall Jill Ravitch. For more detailed information about running for District Attorney, please contact the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office at (707) 565-6800.

Note: Candidates interested in running for Governor should visit the Secretary of State's September 14, 2021, California Gubernatorial Recall Election page.

Key Dates

 Eligible candidates for District Attorney can pick up and file nomination documents in person at the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office starting on May 26, 2021, at 8 a.m.

• The deadline for submitting petitions in lieu of the filing fee is June 22, 2021, at 5 p.m. 
• The deadline for filing all nomination paperwork is July 1, 2021, at 5 p.m.

Office/Term/Qualifications

Filing Fee

The non-refundable filing fee is payable to the Registrar of Voters, and must be paid at the time the candidate obtains the nomination forms. 

• The filing fee is $2571.12

Petitions-in-Lieu of Filing Fee

 A candidate may submit petitions containing signatures of registered voters to cover all or any pro-rata portion of the filing fee. Circulators shall be 18 years of age or older. Any registered voter in Sonoma County may sign an in-lieu-filing-fee petition for a candidate for District Attorney.

• Petitions-in-lieu must be obtained, circulated, signed, and filed between May 26, 2021, at 8 a.m. and June 22, 2021, at 5 p.m. 
• # of signatures in-lieu required: 7,715
• Value of each valid signature-in-lieu: $0.33

Nomination Petitions

Each candidate is required to file a nomination petition containing signatures of registered voters. Circulators shall be 18 years of age or older. Any registered voter in Sonoma County may sign a nomination petition for a candidate for District Attorney. Note that signatures in lieu of paying the filing fee submitted by June 22, 2021, at 5 p.m. may be designated to satisfy this requirement.

• Nomination petitions must be obtained, circulated, signed, and filed between May 26, 2021, at 8 a.m. and July 1, 2021, at 5 p.m. 
• # of nomination signatures required: 20-40

Optional Statement of Qualifications

If a candidate wishes to have a Statement of Qualifications printed in the County Voter Information Guide, they must submit the statement along with a check at the same time they file their other nomination paperwork (no later than July 1, 2021, at 5 p.m.). The check should be made out to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office, the dollar amount should be left blank, and one of the following statements should be written on the memo line:

• "Not to exceed $7,780" (for English only statements)
• "Not to exceed $7,880" (for English and Spanish statements)

For further details about estimated Statement of Qualifications costs, see the table below: