Candidate filing opens May 12

Filings will be taken in the Pacific County Auditor’s Office in South Bend (8:30 AM TO 4:30 PM) and Long Beach (9 AM to 4 PM) during regular business hours. Candidates may file by mail no earlier than Monday April 28, 2014 or later than Friday, May 16, 2014. Filings received before or after the prescribed time, regardless of postmark, are invalid and will be returned.

All candidates must be registered voters and residents of the district for which they are filing for office. Candidates for County Commissioner and Public Utility District Commissioner must be residents of the defined commissioner district for which they are filing and will appear only on the ballots of the defined commissioner district in the Primary.

A candidate may withdraw their candidacy in writing through Tuesday May 20, 2014. Filing fees are non-refundable.

In the Primary Election, the names of candidates for federal, state and County will be arranged in an order determined by lot draw from the May 16, 2014 at 4:30 PM to determine county candidates order within office. The drawing is open to the public, and may be witnessed by any candidate desiring to do so.

No Primary will be held for the position of Public Utility District Commissioner if two or fewer candidates file. Candidate’s names that did not appear on the Primary Election ballot will appear on the General Election ballot in order determined by lot.

The two candidates who received the most votes advance to the General Election ballot. Candidates must also receive at least 1% of all votes cast for that office. In each race on the General Election ballot, the candidate who receives the most votes in the Primary is listed first and the candidate who receives the second most votes in the Primary is listed second.

Names of candidates for Precinct Committee Officer will appear on the Primary Ballot, if after the last day to withdraw, only one candidate has filed for the office in a precinct, that candidate is deemed elected and the auditor shall issue a certificate of election. Only contested races may appear on the ballot

All candidates, except those filing for Precinct Committee Officer, are subject to Public Disclosure Commission filing requirements. Candidates must file with the commission and the county auditor, within two weeks of becoming a candidate for public office.