The City Clerk is the City of Sebastopol office that assists in the holding of elections in the City.  The City Clerk does not act in the capacity of assisting any candidate or proponent of a specific issue other than to assist candidates and proposition sponsors to properly file and manage their election related documentation.  The City Clerk does not act as an arbiter, referee or judge with respect to disputes or issues related to any campaigns or the election itself.

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters is responsible for the operation of all elections in the County.  The rules and regulations with respect to elections potential candidates are enforced by the California Fair Political Practices Commission.  

General Municipal Elections are conducted every even-numbered year and are consolidated with the State General Election held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November.  The next General Municipal Election will be held on November 8, 2022. City of Sebastopol voters will be asked to elect three candidates to serve a four-year term on the City Council.
 

                                        

 Candidate Eligibility

• A candidate must be a United States citizen;
• 18 years old on or before the election day and  and a citizen of the state (Government Code Section 1020);
• A registered voter living in the City of Sebastopol at the time nomination papers are issued (The City Clerk will verify voter registration with the County of Sonoma Registrar of Voters.)  Unless otherwise specifically provided, no person is eligible to be elected or appointed to an elective office unless that person is a registered voter and otherwise qualified to vote for that office at the time that nomination papers are issued to the person.  A person is not eligible to hold office as a member of a municipal legislative body unless he or she is otherwise qualified, resides in the district and both resided in the geographical area making up the district from which he or she is elected and was a registered voter of the city at the time nomination papers are issued to the candidate as provided for in Section 10227 of the Elections Code.
• Conviction of Crimes
  A person is disqualified from holding any office upon conviction of designated crimes as specified in the Constitution and the laws of the State of California (Government Code Section 1021).

 Candidate Fees
There are no City of Sebastopol filing fees, however, candidates who choose to have their "Candidate Statement of Qualifications" printed in the sample ballot issued by the County Registrar of Voters must bear the actual cost of printing and distribution.  Candidates who opt for this printing are required to pay the fee when the nomination paper and forms are filed with the City of Sebastopol City Clerk.

Forms Required when Filing for Candidate Nomination
In accordance with State law, candidates are required to complete designated forms when filing for candidacy. 

• Nomination Paper
• Ballot Designation Worksheet
• FPPC Form 501 – Candidate Intention Statement (if not already filed)
• FPPC Form 700 - Statement of Economic Interest
• Candidate’s Statement of Qualifications (optional)
• Code of Fair Campaign Practices Agreement (optional)

Nomination Paper – with signatures of 20 City of Sebastopol registered voters (the City Clerk will verify the voter signatures on the nomination paper with the County of Sonoma Registrar of Voters).
Please be aware that in accordance with State law, all documents are public record after the close of the nomination period; however, personal information on nomination petition will be redacted i.e., addresses.

Fair Political Practices Commission
To run for elected office the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) requires that candidates provide financial disclosures. Please see FPPC website.

Campaign Contribution Limit
In 2019, the Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 571 (“AB 571”), which amends the Elections Code and Government Code to establish campaign contribution limits for elective city offices in a city in which the local government has not established a campaign contribution limit. Effective January 1, 2021, the State campaign contribution limit for candidates for city elective offices would be $4,700 per election, subject to certain exceptions, and is subject to adjustment every two years by the Fair Political Practices Commission based on changes in the consumer price index.
Sebastopol follows the State campaign contribution limit of $4,700 per election to be in effect in Sebastopol, as provided by Government Code Section 85301.

You Can Register to Vote in California, if you are:

• A U.S. Citizen
• A California Resident
• At least 18 years of age on or before the next election
• Not in prison or on parole for a felony conviction
• Not declared mentally incompetent by court action

Public Information: Becoming a candidate for public office means that information about you will become a matter of public record. With a few exceptions, this includes any and all documents submitted to the City during the course of the election. Consequently, these documents must, by law, be available to the public for inspection and/or copying.
 

Useful Links

Counties

• Sonoma County Registrar of Voters
• Sonoma County 2020 Election Polling Place and Drop-Box Locations

State of California

• California Fair Political Practices Commission