Are you voting for a buy-in candidate? Here is the complete list of qualified Los Angeles County voter names

If you’re filling out a ballot for the November 5 election, you may notice that for some races you can vote for a write-in candidate. This is where you can vote for someone whose name isn’t on the ballot, in case you’re not impressed with the other options available.

But wait – there’s a catch! In California, applicants must submit paperwork and qualify to be an official write-in candidate. So even though you can technically write someone’s name on the entered candidate line, your vote will only count if it is cast for someone who has officially qualified.

Registered candidates are not eligible to run in the November 5 election for offices such as U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, State Assembly or State Senate. Under California rules, registered candidates in these races can only participate in the primary election. The two highest vote getters then advance to the general, and the candidate nomination window closes.

That said, there are still candidates registered for other races – one person has qualified for a write-in for US President, and several others have qualified for races in El Segundo, Malibu and Sierra Madre. There are no qualified candidates to sign up for local races in Orange County this year.

List of eligible candidates for entry

Here is the complete list of eligible ballot candidates in Los Angeles County:

President of the USA

Piotr Sonski (president)
Lauren Onak (vice president)
Campaign website

El Segundo City Clerk

Eric Kenas
Campaign website (Facebook)

Alisa Koval
(no campaign information found)

Susan Truax
Campaign Statement (Facebook)

Malibu City Council

Andy Lyon
Campaign announcement (Malibu City Council Meeting)

Treasurer of the city of Sierra Madre

Sue Spears
(no campaign information found)

Other voting tips

If you vote by mail, please make sure your ballot is mailed before November 5. California law allows for seven days for it to arrive and be counted.

If you still need to register to vote, you can do so at any polling center in the county where you live.

• You can search for Los Angeles County voting centers Here.
• You can find voting centers in Orange County Here.

If you have any other questions about voting, please ask in the box below. A LAist journalist will read and answer every question received. You can also find more voter resources on our website, including dozens of voter guides Voter’s game plan page.