FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Shannan Velayas
May 17, 2010

Secretary of State Debra Bowen Announces

Certified List of 15th Senate District Candidates
SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced the certified list of candidates who will appear on the Special Primary Election ballot to fill the vacancy in the 15th Senate District seat. The candidates and their official ballot designations are:
�� John Laird (Democratic) – Educator
�� Sam Blakeslee (Republican) – Independent Business Owner
�� Mark Hinkle (Libertarian) – Small Business Owner
�� Jim Fitzgerald (Independent) – Retired Transportation Manager
The Special Primary Election will be held June 22 to fill the vacancy left by the appointment of Senator Abel Maldonado as Lieutenant Governor. In a special primary, the candidates from all qualified parties appear on one ballot.
If one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast (50 percent plus one), no further election will be necessary. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a Special General Election will be held on August 17, with a ballot featuring the person from each qualified political party who received the most votes in the primary.
The official certified list of candidates, with contact information for each of them, is available at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/Special/sd15/sd15-certified-list.pdf.

We are pleased to announce that the California Secretary of State's website has recently been updated to reflect the latest Military and Overseas Voter Information. The new web pages for special absentee voters include sections on registering to vote, requesting ballots, faxing/mailing ballots, important deadline dates, and Frequently Asked Questions.

Important Dates for the June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election

Register by: May 24, 2010

Request ballot by: June 1, 2010

Return ballot by: June 8, 2010 (ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. PST)

Please share the following website link with your constituents: http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_mov.htm.