Primary Election Filing Period Opens Today

The filing period begins today for the June primary election, the first under the "top two" system.

Under terms of Proposition 14, approved by voters in the June 2010 primary, all candidates running for congressional, legislative and state constitutional offices, regardless of party, will appear on a single ballot. Previously, the top vote-getter in each party moved on to go head-to-head in the November general election.

Proposition 14 also gives candidates the right to decline to have their party stated on the ballot.

In Los Angeles County, the ballot will include races for District Attorney, where incumbent Steve Cooley has said he will not run for re-election; seats on the Board of Supervisors held by Mike Antonovich, Don Knabe and Mark Ridley Thomas; Superior Court judgeships; the U.S. Senate seat held by Dianne Feinstein; 19 seats in the House of Representatives; seven for the state Senate; 24 for the Assembly; and Superior Court judgeships.

Though the filing period starts today, heated races are already well underway, .

• Related:
• Related:

The filing period will close March 9, but will be extended to March 14 for offices where no incumbent files, except for those where the incumbent cannot seek re-election because of term limits, and Superior Court judgeships.

There will be no primary election for the four City Council seats up for election this year. The open seats are currently held by Richard Bloom, Gleam Davis, Terry O'Day and Bobby Shriver.

The city conducts elections every two years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

The general election is Nov. 6.

• Related:

— This post was compiled with information from City News Service.