The Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has set the electoral calendar for the special election to replace former 10th Congressional District representative Ellen Tauscher who resigned to take an appointment as Undersecretary of Arms Control and International Security in the State Department. The primary is set for September 1st and the general election is November 3rd. The CA-10 encompasses the suburbs of Contra Costa county in the East Bay and stretches into the Sacramento River Delta area covering parts of Alameda, Solano and Sacramento counties.

More from the Contra Costa Times:

Per special election rules, the primary is an open ballot, meaning that all candidates will appear on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation. The top vote-getter in each party plus the nonpartisan candidates will advance to the general election unless one candidate receives in the primary 50 percent plus one vote. If that occurs, the candidate will win the post outright.

The deadline to file petition signatures in lieu of a $1,740 filing fee is Monday, July 6, 2009. There are to date six announced Democratic candidates: Lt. Governor John Garamendi, CA State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, CA State Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, Attorney Anthony Bothwell, San Francisco City Attorney Investigator Adriel Hampton, and Iraq War veteran Anthony Woods.

John Garamendi is a political institution in the state serving currently as Lt. Governor and previously as Insurance Commissioner. Boasting 34 years of public service, he certainly has the most name recognition of those running. Adriel Hampton and Anthony Woods are both making their first runs for public office. Anthony Woods boasts a very compelling life story. He was raised by a single mother, a West Point graduate with an advanced degree from the Kennedy School of Government, served two tours of duty in Iraq earning two Bronze Stars before being discharged under Don't Ask Don't Tell. At 28, he's the youngest person in the race but he grew up in the CA-10 and knows the district well.