The last day for candidates to file candidacy papers to run for any of the local offices up for election on November 4, 2014 is 5 p.m. Friday, August 8.
If, however, the incumbent for any office who is eligible to stand for re-election does not file by Friday, the filing will be extended until 5 p.m. August 13 for anyone other than the incumbent to file.
Contests on the November 2014 ballot include city council seats, school boards trustees, fire, water and park district directors and port commissioners.
To date, only 50 candidates have qualified to run for one of the 110 seats up for election in November.
Persons interested in running for an office may contact the Santa Cruz County Elections Department at 701 Ocean St., Room 210, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-454-2060.
Persons interested in running for city council must contact the appropriate City Clerk’s Office.
- Capitola City Clerk’s Office – 420 Capitola Ave., Capitola, CA 95010, 831-475-7300
- Santa Cruz City Clerk’s Office – 809 Center Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-420-5038
- Scotts Valley City Clerk’s Office – 1 Civic Center Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066, 831-440-5600
- Watsonville City Clerk’s Office – 275 Main St., 4th Floor, Watsonville, CA 95076, 831-768-3040
At the time the candidates file a Declaration of Candidacy, candidates have the option of submitting a 200-word Candidate’s Statement of Qualifications to be published in the Voter’s Information Pamphlet at the candidate’s expense.
Because there are strict rules and laws governing candidate filing, interested persons are encouraged to contact the County Elections Department to obtain a “Candidate’s Handbook” and other assistance to ensure all filing obligations are met. The Candidate’s Handbook, a list of offices on the ballot, as well as who has taken out papers can also be found online at www.votescount.com The Elections Department is located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 210 in Santa Cruz, phone 831-454-2060. Candidates for City Council should contact the City Clerk in their city of residence.