On September 11, the two candidates for California Secretary of State spoke at a forum sponsored by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). The forum lasted one hour and nine minutes and can be viewed at this link. Pete Peterson, the Republican, says at the one hour and four minute mark that he favors restoring write-in space to the general election ballot, which the legislature removed in 2012. The other candidate, State Senator Alex Padilla, apparently does not favor making any changes to the top-two system, according to his remarks at the one hour and five minute mark.

California and Louisiana are the only states that ever had write-in space on government-printed general election ballots and then removed it. Senator Padilla says he is in favor of greater participation and voting rights.