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AB 1853CALIFORNIASession 20252026
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California AB 1853 restricts candidate statements in voter guides and mandates perjury declarations

Original title: Voter information guide: candidate statements.

August 30, 2026

ElectionsVoter InformationCampaign FinanceState MandatesVoterinformationguidecandidatestatements

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Where This Stands

Currently Unknown. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Last action
Referred to Com. on E. & C.A.May 6, 2026

Version history & redline

2 versions on file

Official version history is partial: 2 linked texts are unavailable or incomplete. Source links remain available below.

Comparing AB1853 → 02/11/26 - Introduced
removed addedOfficial text

The text diff for this stage has not been computed yet.

pdf extract failed: Invalid PDF structure.

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

The Frame

What this does

This bill changes the legal requirements for candidates seeking to publish statements in official voter guides, potentially increasing the risk of criminal liability for candidates and expanding the administrative duties of local election officials.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Candidates for elective office

Candidates must adhere to new content restrictions and sign a perjury-subject declaration to include statements in voter guides.

County elections officials

Officials are required to review statements for compliance and are authorized to initiate legal challenges against non-compliant statements.

What changed

Last recorded activity August 30, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

AB 1853 limits candidate statements in voter information guides to professional qualifications and requires candidates to sign a -subject declaration attesting to the truth of their statements. The bill also prohibits links to external content other than campaign websites and bans vulgar, profane, or misleading language.

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

Can I still include a link to my social media in my candidate statement?
No. The bill prohibits links to external content other than the candidate's campaign website.
What happens if part of my statement is rejected?
Election officials will omit the non-compliant portion and print the remainder if it can stand independently and does not mislead voters.
Can a voter challenge my statement?
Yes. Any registered voter can seek a court order to amend or delete material if they provide clear and convincing proof that it is false, misleading, or inconsistent with the law.

Why It Matters

This bill changes the legal requirements for candidates seeking to publish statements in official voter guides, potentially increasing the risk of criminal liability for candidates and expanding the administrative duties of local election officials.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Connected Entities

organizationSecretary of State“Responsible for omitting non-compliant portions of candidate statements in the s”Map →
organizationCounty elections officials“Responsible for reviewing statements in county guides and may initiate legal cha”Map →
organizationUnited States House of Representatives“Candidates for this office may purchase space in county voter guides.”Map →
organizationUnited States Senate“Candidates for this office may purchase space in the state voter guide.”Map →
organizationCommission on State Mandates“Determines if the bill creates state-mandated costs requiring reimbursement to l”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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