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Read. Follow. Verify.California SB 46 requires presidential candidates to affirm eligibility and authorizes ballot challenges
Record date · August 13, 2026
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What This Bill Would Do
SB 46 prohibits the Secretary of State from placing presidential or vice-presidential candidates on the ballot unless they affirm their eligibility under oath. The bill also establishes a process for the Secretary of State to investigate candidate eligibility, authorizes judicial challenges by s, and allows candidates to appeal disqualification decisions in the Sacramento County Superior Court.
This bill changes the requirements for presidential candidates to appear on California ballots by mandating sworn eligibility statements and creating new legal pathways for the public and the state to challenge a candidate's qualifications.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Presidential candidates
Candidates must provide a sworn statement of eligibility and are subject to potential disqualification and investigation.
Secretary of State
The office is tasked with verifying candidate eligibility and managing potential investigations.
Attorney General
The office may be required to investigate candidate eligibility and appoint special counsel.
Electors
Voters are granted the legal authority to challenge candidate qualifications through the court system.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a candidate refuses to sign the oath of eligibility?
Can a regular voter challenge a candidate's eligibility?
Is there a deadline for the state to disqualify a candidate?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently filed. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Committee.
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift to Judicial Oversight
The bill moves the determination of presidential candidate eligibility from a purely administrative process to one involving judicial review and public petitioning.
Connected Entities
Sources
openstates.org
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment40Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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