CA AB868

Requires county nonpartisan office elections (such as district attorney, sheriff, and other county officers) to advance the top two vote-getters from the primary to the general election, rather than allowing candidates to win outright with a majority at the primary

Exempts charter cities and counties from this requirement, and does not apply to charter counties that have already adopted systems electing candidates at the general election

If two or fewer candidates file for a county nonpartisan office, the primary election is skipped and those candidates proceed directly to the general election ballot

Addresses voter participation disparities, citing data showing Latino voter participation increased 67.95% from primary to general election in 2024, compared to 51.89% for all California voters, and that over 90% of county contests in 2022 were decided at the primary

Requires state reimbursement to counties for any costs mandated by the bill, as determined by the Commission on State Mandates