Verdict: False
A missing statement in California's voter guide does not mean a candidate was removed, disqualified or omitted from the ballot. The Secretary of State explicitly says candidate statements are voluntary. Qualified candidates can appear on the ballot without buying or submitting one.
The voter guide and the ballot serve different purposes: one provides optional campaign information under statutory rules; the other lists qualified choices.
Why the guide can look incomplete
Candidates generally pay the cost of publishing a statement. For some offices, the ability to buy space is also tied to accepting voluntary campaign-spending limits. A candidate may therefore decline a statement for cost, strategy or eligibility reasons without losing ballot status.
The official candidate list and a county sample ballot are the controlling sources for who voters can select. A blank statement page is not that list.
How to verify a candidate
Check the Secretary of State's certified list, then the sample ballot issued by the county elections office for the voter's address. If the two appear inconsistent, contact the county registrar before relying on a social-media screenshot.
The defensible conclusion is narrow: no statement does not equal no candidacy.
Sources and further reading
California voter guide: Governor candidate statements ↗