ACA 23: Secretary of State: nonpartisan office.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified August 16, 2026

What ACA 23 does, verified August 16, 2026

<p>This bill proposes an amendment to the California Constitution to reclassify the office of Secretary of State as a nonpartisan position. Currently, the constitution requires the Secretary of State to be elected at the same time and for the same term as the Governor, but does not explicitly designate the office as nonpartisan. The measure would align the Secretary of State with other state offices, such as judicial and county positions, by prohibiting political parties from nominating candidates for the role and banning the inclusion of party preference on the ballot. This change aims to ensure that the Secretary of State operates independently from political party influence.</p>

Bill journey

1IntroducedCurrent

2In CommitteePending

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: From printer. (2026-08-11)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Josh HooverAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions2 total · showing 2

Aug. 11, 2026	From printer.
Aug. 10, 2026	Introduced. To print.

Latest bill textIntroduced version, August 10, 2026 · 312 words

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Constitutional Amendment

No. 23

Introduced by Assembly Members Johnson and Hoover

August 10, 2026

A resolution to propose to the people of the State of California an amendment to the Constitution of the State, by amending Section 6 of Article II thereof, relating to elections.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

ACA 23, as introduced, Johnson. Secretary of State: nonpartisan office.

The California Constitution establishes the office of Secretary of State and requires that the Secretary of State be elected at the same time and place and for the same term as the Governor. The California Constitution provides that all judicial, school, county, and city offices, and the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, are nonpartisan. The California Constitution prohibits a political party or party central committee from nominating a candidate for nonpartisan office, and prohibits the candidate’s party preference from being included on the ballot.

This measure would additionally provide that the office of Secretary of State is a nonpartisan office.

Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO

Resolved by the Assembly, the Senate concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California at its 2025–26 Regular Session, commencing on the second day of December 2024, two-thirds of the membership of each house concurring, hereby proposes to the people of the State of California that the Constitution of the State be amended as follows:

That Section 6 of Article II thereof is amended to read:

SEC. 6.

(a) ~~All judicial, school, county, and city offices, including the Superintendent of Public Instruction,~~ The following offices shall be ~~nonpartisan.~~ nonpartisan:

(1) All judicial, school, county, and city offices.
(2) Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(3) Secretary of State.

(b) A political party or party central committee shall not nominate a candidate for nonpartisan office, and the candidate’s party preference shall not be included on the ballot for the nonpartisan office.

Text of ACA 23 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions