March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election: Basic Timeline

Sonoma County Voting

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Disclaimer: The dates listed below are not guaranteed to be correct and are still subject to change, particularly if new legislation is passed.

Note: In general, for dates that fall on a Saturday, Sunday, or county holiday, use the next regular business day for transactions. County holidays during this period include:

Nov. 10, 2023 - Veterans Day (Observed)
Nov. 23, 2023 - Thanksgiving Day
Nov. 24, 2023 - Day After Thanksgiving
Dec. 25, 2023 - Christmas Day
Jan. 1, 2024 - New Year's Day
Jan. 15, 2024 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 12, 2024 - Lincoln's Birthday
Feb. 19, 2024 - Presidents' Day
Apr. 1, 2024 - César Chávez Day (Observed)

Date(s)	Event
9/14/23	Signatures in Lieu filing period opens for all offices with filing fees
9/14/23 - 11/8/23	Signatures in Lieu filing period for all offices with filing fees
9/29/23	Candidate nominations filing period opens for party central committee offices only
9/29/23 - 12/8/23	Candidate nominations filing period for party central committee offices only
10/30/23	Declarations of Intention filing period opens for judicial candidates only
10/30/23 - 11/8/23	Declarations of Intention filing period for judicial candidates only
11/8/23	Declarations of Intention filing period closes for judicial candidates only
11/8/23	Signatures in Lieu filing period closes for all offices with filing fees
11/9/23	Extension period opens for Declarations of Intention (only applies to judicial offices that had an incumbent who did not file a Declaration of Intention)
11/9/23 - 11/13/23	Extension period for Declarations of Intention (only applies to judicial offices that had an incumbent who did not file a Declaration of Intention)
11/13/23	Extension period closes for Declarations of Intention (only applies to judicial offices that had an incumbent who did not file a Declaration of Intention)
11/13/23	Candidate nominations filing period opens for NON-party central committee offices
11/13/23 - 12/8/23	Candidate nominations filing period for NON-party central committee offices
12/8/23	Candidate nominations filing period closes for party central committee offices
12/8/23	Candidate nominations filing period closes for NON-party central committee offices
12/8/23	Deadline for governing bodies to submit measures
12/8/23	Tax rate statement deadline (bond measures only)
12/11/23	Measure letter assignments
12/11/23	Extension period opens for candidate nominations (only applies to offices that had an incumbent who did not file for re-election)
12/11/23 - 12/13/23	Extension period for candidate nominations (only applies to offices that had an incumbent who did not file for re-election)
12/13/23	Extension period closes for candidate nominations (only applies to offices that had an incumbent who did not file for re-election)
12/13/23	Deadline to amend/withdraw measures
12/14/23	Random alphabet drawing
12/15/23	Argument deadline
12/15/23	Impartial analysis due
12/22/23	Rebuttal deadline (only if opposing arguments are filed)
1/8/24	Write-in period begins
1/8/24 - 2/20/24	Write-in period
1/20/24	Deadline to send ballots to currently registered military/overseas voters
1/25/24	Approximate date County Voter Information Guides begin being mailed
2/5/24	Voting by mail opens; first day voters can pick up Vote-by-Mail ballots at the Registrar of Voters Office
2/5/24	First day Registrar of Voters may begin to process Vote-by-Mail ballots
2/6/24	Official Ballot Drop Boxes open
2/6/24 - 3/4/24	Official Ballot Drop Boxes are open daily 24/7
2/20/24*	Standard voter registration deadline*
2/20/24	Write-in period closes
2/21/24	Conditional (a.k.a. “same day”) voter registration period opens
2/21/24 - 3/5/24	Conditional (a.k.a. “same day”) voter registration period
2/24/24	11-Day Vote Centers open
2/24/24 - 3/4/24	11-day Vote Centers are open daily from 9 a.m .to 5 p.m.
2/27/24	Last day to request a ballot be mailed
3/2/24	4-Day Vote Centers open
3/2/24 - 3/4/24	4-Day Vote Centers are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3/5/24	Election Day: All Vote Centers (both 11-Day and 4-Day) are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
3/5/24	Official Ballot Drop Boxes close at 8 p.m.
3/5/24	Conditional (a.k.a. “same day”) voter registration period closes
3/12/24	Vote-by-Mail ballots which are postmarked on or before Election Day must be received by this date in order to be counted
4/2/24	Deadline to transmit presidential election results to SOS
4/4/24	Deadline to certify election results

*The standard voter registration deadline moves from Feb. 19 to Feb. 20 because Feb. 19 is Presidents' Day.

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