(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a special primary election shall be held in the district in which the vacancy occurred on the 9th Tuesday or, if the 9th Tuesday is the day of or the day following a state holiday, the 10th Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election at which the vacancy is to be filled. Candidates at the primary election shall be nominated in the manner set forth in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 8000) of Part 1 of Division 8, except that nomination papers shall not be circulated more than 73 days before the primary election, shall be left with the county elections official for examination not less than 53 days before the primary election, and shall be filed with the Secretary of State not less than 53 days before the primary election.

(b) A special primary election shall be held in the district in which the vacancy occurred on the 10th Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election at which the vacancy is to be filled if both of the following conditions apply:

(1) The 10th Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election is an established election date pursuant to Section 1000.

(2) A statewide or local election occurring wholly or partially within the same territory in which the vacancy exists is scheduled for the 10th Tuesday preceding the day of the special general election.

(c) An application for a vote by mail ballot for a special election shall be made and processed in the manner required by Section 3001.

(d) The sample ballot for a special election shall contain a written explanation of the election procedure for voter-nominated office as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 9083.5. Immediately after the explanation shall be printed the following: “If one candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast at the special primary election, he or she will be elected to fill the vacancy and no special general election will be held.”

(e) On the ballot for a special election, immediately below the instructions to voters, there shall be a box not less than one-half inch high enclosed by a heavy-ruled line the same as the borderline. This box shall be as long as there are columns for the ballot and shall be set directly above these columns. Within the box shall be printed the words “Voter-Nominated Office.” Immediately below that phrase within the same box shall be printed the following:

“All voters, regardless of the party preference they disclosed upon registration, or refusal to disclose a party preference, may vote for any candidate for a voter-nominated office. The party preference, if any, designated by a candidate is selected by the candidate and is shown for the information of the voters only. It does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party or that the party approves of the candidate.”

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 685, Sec. 2. (SB 1275) Effective January 1, 2013.)