SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Secretary of State’s Office confirmed Friday that state law prohibits Assemblymember Vince Fong (D-Bakersfield) from running as a candidate for the 20th Congressional District of California because he had previously filed paperwork to run for reelection to the California State Assembly.
Under state law, a candidate who has filed their declaration of candidacy is not permitted to withdraw as a candidate at that primary election. Mr. Fong filed his completed nomination documents for Assembly District 32 prior to the close of the December 8, 2023 filing deadline. Mr. Fong then submitted completed nomination documents for Congressional District 20 during the 5-day extension period triggered by the incumbent’s decision not to seek re-election. State law prohibits any candidate from filing nomination papers for more than one office at the same election.
As such, the Secretary of State’s office has determined that Mr. Fong’s filed nomination papers for Congressional District 20 were improperly submitted. Mr. Fong will not appear on the list of certified candidates for Congressional District 20 that our office will transmit to county election officials on candidates on December 28.
Fong issued the following response:
“Today’s decision by the Secretary of State to unilaterally disqualify a county-qualified candidate for Congress is unprecedented interference in the candidate filing process. County elections offices have full jurisdiction to qualify candidates on the ballot. The Secretary of State simply has a ministerial duty to certify the candidates lists and include all qualified candidates. Assemblyman Fong has qualified for the ballot and the voters of the 20th Congressional District deserve the opportunity to select the candidate of their choice. The Elections Code provides a five-day filing extension to ensure all prospective candidates may file run for office should the incumbent choose not to run, as in the case in this election. We fully intend to litigate this decision and will be filing a challenge in Superior Court imminently.”
Assemblyman Vince Fong remains committed to running for Congress, adding, “Voters in the 20th Congressional District have a right to choose the candidate of their choice to represent them in Congress. I will fight the Secretary of State’s misguided decision and do whatever it takes to give voters in our community a real choice in the election because the voters choose our elected officials, not Sacramento.”
Fong currently serves in the California State Assembly and is running for the 20th Congressional District.
Previous Stories:
- Dec 7, 2022 – Assemblyman Fong Proposes to Temporarily Suspend the Gas Tax
- Dec 5, 2022 – Assembly Republicans Introduce ‘California Promise’ Priorities
- Sept. 23, 2022 – Bill to Crack Down on Street Racing and Illegal Sideshows Signed by Governor
1 comment
Political office is like an addictive drug to these people. They can’t put it down, but try to disguise their obvious ambition in lofty rhetoric about how the voters “deserve the opportunity” to vote for them.
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