To register to vote you must be a United States Citizen; 18 years of age on election day; not in prison, on parole, serving state prison sentence in a county jail, or serving sentence for a felony; and not found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law.

The candidate nomination period is determined by Election Code and begins 113 prior to the election date.  If any incumbent does not file by the deadline, the nomination period will be extended.

Candidates must wait until the nomination period begins to obtain a nomination packet from the City Clerk. Forms include, but are not limited to, the Nomination Paper, Ballot Designation Worksheet, Candidate Statement (optional), Code of Fair Campaign Practices (optional), Statement of Economic Interests Form 700, and Campaign Finance Disclosure statements.

The Candidate Instructional Guide: Running for Elective Office (last revised 6/7/2022) provides an overview of City Government, and responsibilities of an elected City Councilmember. It provides detailed information related the process of running for elective office, overviews each of the nomination documents, and provides guidance and information related to campaign reporting requirements for candidates and elected officials.

Candidates are encouraged to contact the City Clerk for more information prior to raising or spending money towards a campaign for office.

The City Clerk is a candidate’s primary source of information during the nomination and election process. To best serve you, individuals interested in running for office are encouraged to contact the City Clerk to ask questions.  The City Clerk can be reached at 510-215-4305 or via email at cityclerk@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

November 8, 2022 Candidates