Election FAQs

Any person, who is at least 18 years of age on or before Election Day, is a citizen of the United States, and otherwise eligible to vote, can register to vote. Registration forms are available at City Hall, Santa Clarita Public Libraries, and United States Post Offices. Online registration is available at www.lavote.gov. If you move, change your name, or wish to change your political party affiliation you must re-register to vote.

Elections for City Council members are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years and are consolidated with the County of Los Angeles General Elections. The City conducts staggered elections, and two seats will be up in the next election on November 5, 2024:  one seat will be voted upon in District 1, and one seat will be voted upon in District 3.

Regular elections will continue to be consolidated with statewide general elections in November of even-numbered years to fill expired City Council terms. Councilmembers serve staggered four-year terms, so the remaining three district seats (Districts 2, 4, and 5) will be up for election starting in November 2026.

Pursuant to the terms of a settlement agreement, the City will institute district-based elections for the City Council seats, starting with the 2024 City Council election. In this new, by-district election system, the City of Santa Clarita will be divided into five districts, and each voter within a district may cast one vote for a candidate residing within that same district. Regular elections will continue to be consolidated with statewide general elections in November of even-numbered years to fill expired City Council terms.

Residents living within the jurisdiction of the City of Santa Clarita reside in one of five districts. Find your district here: https://residency.santa-clarita.com/.

Election materials providing options of where and how to vote are mailed to registered voters by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. You may also visit www.lavote.gov to determine Vote Center and Ballot Drop Box locations.

The City Clerk is the Local Elections Official and provides the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office and the Board of Supervisors with copies of the City Council Resolution Calling for an Election and a City Council Resolution Requesting Consolidation Services for the City of Santa Clarita. (EC§ 10403)

The City Clerk/Local Elections Official qualifies the candidates and assists them in meeting their legal responsibilities before, during, and after an election. From election pre-planning to the certification of official election results and filing of final campaign disclosure documents, the City Clerk/Local Elections Official manages the process which forms the foundation of our democratic system of government.

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk handles all other elections.

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Two open Council seats will be voted upon in the 2024 election. In 2024, one seat will be open in District 1 and one seat will be open in District 3.

To run for an elective office within the City of Santa Clarita, a person must be a registered voter within an open district of the City at the time the nomination paper is issued. The City Clerk/Local Elections Official will not issue a nomination paper if the candidate is not a registered voter. (EC§ 201.)

If an elected official moves his or her place of residence outside of the district limits or ceases to be an elector of the City during his or her term of office, the office of that elected official shall immediately become vacant. (GC§ 36502.)

The City Council holds its regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Other adjourned or special meetings are scheduled as City business necessitates.

Yes. Councilmember salary is established by GC 36516, and the monthly amount will be $2,444.69 effective January 1, 2025. In addition, Councilmembers are eligible to receive the following benefits:

Health Benefits

• City Councilmembers are eligible to enroll in the City’s health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Councilmembers elected or re-elected to non-consecutive terms are eligible to receive up to $352.36 per month if they choose not to enroll in a city-provided health plan. This entire “cash in lieu” benefit must be contributed to a 457 deferred compensation plan. This amount is subject to change and the rates for 2025 have not yet been determined.
• Additional benefits offered include City-paid life, accidental death & dismemberment, and long-term disability insurance.

Retirement Benefits

As a replacement for Social Security, Councilmembers are required to be enrolled in one of the following retirement plans:

Option 1 – CalPERS Retirement in either the 2.0% at 60 plan or 2.0% at 62 plan depending on whether the Councilmember was a member of PERS as of January 1, 2013, in compliance with the provisions of the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA). For both plans, the Councilmember is responsible for paying the full member pension contribution.

Option 2 – 457 Deferred Compensation Retirement Plan with a City contribution of 7.5% of base salary.

Beginning July 8, 2024, potential candidates may contact the City Clerk’s Office to schedule an appointment with the Local Elections Official/City Clerk to obtain nomination documents during the nomination filing period. The nomination filing period is July 15, 2024 through August 9, 2024. If an incumbent whose term expires in 2024 does not file in this period, the filing period is extended to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, for all potential candidates other than the incumbent(s) who declined to file nomination paperwork by the August 9, 2024 deadline. The extension does not apply where there is no incumbent eligible to be elected. (EC§ 10225)

Any registered voter in the open district of the City of Santa Clarita may sign a nomination paper. A registered voter may not sign more than one nomination paper. Your nomination paper must contain at least 20 and not more than 30 signatures; a minimum of 20 must be verified for your nomination to be valid. (EC§ 10220)

The Local Elections Official/City Clerk verifies the signatures on all nomination papers. Signatures of unregistered voters within the City limits or registered voters outside of the candidate’s district will not be counted toward the 20 signatures required for you to run for office. The City Clerk’s Office recommends candidates consider filing their nomination paperwork in advance of the deadline to avoid potential signature issues. Filing early will provide candidates with an opportunity to circulate and submit supplemental nomination papers prior to the deadline.

A potential candidate’s name becomes public information from the time a candidate submits his or her nomination documents or files a Candidate Intention Statement (Form 501), whichever is first. Nomination documents, however, are not immediately available for public review.

A complete list of candidates and their nomination documents will be available in the City Clerk’s Office at noon on the business day following the close of the nomination period: August 12, 2024 or, if the filing period is extended, then by noon, August 15, 2024, for that district. (EC § 13313)

You may withdraw as a candidate at any time prior to the close of the nomination period. After that date, you may not withdraw, and your name will appear on the ballot. (EC§ 10224)

Election office hours in the City Clerk’s Office are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Yes. Please be sure that all forms are properly completed. If there are any questions on any form or they are not completed properly, your paper may not be accepted. (EC§ 10224)

No. Santa Clarita does not impose a filing fee. The City provides equal opportunity for all candidates to fully participate by not charging a filing fee.

Yes. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk imposes a fee to cover the cost of printing Candidate Statements in the Voter Pamphlet. However, the Candidate Statement is optional and the actual cost varies depending on a number of factors as determined by the Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorders Office. If candidates choose to publish a statement, the estimated fees range from $600 to $2,800 depending on district, language, statement length, and formatting chosen by the candidate.

The fees are due when nomination documents are filed. Should the actual cost be less than the deposit, the difference will be refunded. Should the actual cost be more than the deposit, candidates will be billed the difference.

No. Please check your candidate statement carefully before submitting it. It will be printed exactly as submitted. (EC §13307)

Yes. The candidate’s statement may be withdrawn but not changed until 5:00 p.m. the business day following the close of the nomination period. (EC §13307)

The City does not have any restrictions on when campaign signage may be posted, as long as it complies with the Santa Clarita Municipal Code  17.51.080.

Regulations regarding Temporary Signage can be found on the City’s website at https://santaclarita.gov/city-clerk/elections/sign-regulations/ and are included in the Candidate Handbook.

Section 13.24.010 of the City of Santa Clarita Municipal Code defines public right-of-way as “any place of any nature which is dedicated to use by the public for pedestrian and vehicular travel, and includes, but is not limited to, a street, sidewalk, curb, gutter, crossing, intersection, parkway, highway, alley, lane, mall, court, way, avenue, boulevard, road, roadway, viaduct, subway, tunnel, bridge, thoroughfare, park square, and other similar public way which is owned or held (whether in fee, easement, leasehold or other interest) by the City of Santa Clarita.” Furthermore, Section 17.51.080.E.1.a states that “except as specifically provided in this section, no sign shall be located upon or project over a public right-of-way.”  Signs posted in the public right-of-way or on public property are subject to removal and penalties pursuant to Chapter 11.12 of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code.

In an effort to identify where the public right-of-way transitions to private property for the placement of campaign signage, it can be helpful to use the location of the adjacent curb as a guide. Most properties throughout the City of Santa Clarita have a curb along the frontage of the property. Although the distance from the curb to the end of the public right-of-way will vary throughout the City of Santa Clarita, in a typical residential area signs placed a minimum of 14 feet from the curb will not be within the public right-of-way. This guide does not necessarily apply to property in commercial areas as the distance from the curb to the public right-of-way can vary from 3’ to 33’, depending on various factors. It should also be noted that there are many areas within the City that have been developed without the typical curb/gutter/parkway/sidewalk standard.

If you are uncertain about a particular sign placement and wish to ensure it is not within the public right-of-way, please contact Tracy Sullivan at (661) 286-1411 or email her at tksullivan@santaclarita.gov to discuss the exact location where you would like to place campaign signage.

The language provides for a proportionate increase in font size as materials get larger, but there is no language that expressly allows for a proportionate reduction in font size. Please refer to Santa Clarita Municipal Code Section 7.02.040 and for details.  The California Fair Political Practices Commission has additional requirements and restrictions on campaign advertising.