Frequently asked election questions

July 15  to August 9 – NOMINATION PERIOD

Candidates may come to the City Clerk’s office to pick up their nomination papers and file other election documents during business hours as posted, by appointment ONLY.

• NOTE: The Santa Ana City Charter requires persons running for City Council to be a thirty (30) day resident of the ward from which the candidate is nominated and requires persons running for mayor to be a thirty (30) day resident at the time nomination papers are issued. (Resolution No. 2020-041)

August 10 to August 14 – EXTENDED FILING PERIOD

Filing is extended if an incumbent is eligible to file for re-election and fails to do so by the 5:00 pm deadline on August 9, 2024. Incumbents are not eligible to file during the extended filing period.

August 15 – RANDOMIZED ALPHABET DRAWING

Secretary of State conducts a random drawing to determine the order of the names displayed on the ballot.

August 10 to August 19 – PUBLIC EXAMINATION PERIOD

Public review period for candidate statements and ballot designations.

• NOTE: The public may view nomination papers but may not copy or distribute copies of this document that obtains the signatures of voters. (Elections Code Section 17100)

November 5 – ELECTION DAY

December 2024 – CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS

Before each election, the Registrar of Voters sends every registered voter a Voter Information Guide “Sample Ballot” that lists the candidates and tells the voter where to vote. To see voting options, including the locations of Vote Centers and Ballot Drop Boxes, please visit www.ocvote.gov/voting.

Any person who is 18 years of age and a citizen of the United States or naturalized citizen can register to vote by filling out an Affidavit of Registration or registering online at: https://registertovote.ca.gov/.  Check the Registrar of Voters website  for further information.  Registration forms are available at the following locations:

County of Orange
Registrar of Voters Office
1300 South Grand Avenue
Santa Ana, California

City Clerk’s Office
Santa Ana City Hall
20 Civic Center Plaza, 8th Floor
Santa Ana, California

The City Clerk serves as the elections official for the City of Santa Ana and works with the Orange County Registrar of Voters to conduct elections for the City of Santa Ana.  The City Clerk’s staff advises candidates about procedures; accepts and maintains campaign finance disclosure statements; provides voter registration forms; and provides maps and instruction manuals to candidates.  The Registrar of Voters prints the ballots and voter pamphlet, trains poll workers, administers elections at the polls, counts the ballots, and certifies the election results. The City Council approves the election results and the City Clerk swears in the new Councilmembers and the Mayor.

Yes. Santa Ana City Charter Section 1206 provides that candidates for city office shall accept no more than $1,000 from any one person per election cycle.  “Election cycle” is the period of time between the date of an election to the office of Mayor or Councilmember and the date of the next election to the same office. The election cycles run two (2) years for the Mayor and four (4) years for a Ward Councilmember.

NOTE: Candidates have no restrictions as to the amount of money they can contribute from their own personal funds to their campaign account.

The Registrar of Voters Office certifies election results (the Registrar has up to 30 days following Election Day).  The final results are sent to the City Clerk who in turn presents them to the City Council at a Special Meeting for acceptance.  The City Council approves the election results. The City Clerk administers the Oath of Office to the successful candidates.  A term of office begins at 6:00 pm on the second Tuesday of December following certification of election results.

Yes. The FPPC has the forms available on their website.

At 8:00 pm on Election Day, the polls close. All the ballots from the polling places are taken to the Registrar of Voters Office where they are counted by computer. Ballot counting continues until all the ballots received at the polls are tallied (this sometimes takes all night). The Registrar of Voters posts the first set of unofficial results on their website at 8:05 pm on Election Day, with several additional posts throughout that evening.  Results are then posted daily at 5:00 pm until finalized and certified by the Registrar of Voters.

A voter who has signed an initiative, referendum, or recall petition pursuant to the Constitution or laws of this state shall have his or her signature withdrawn from the petition upon filing a written request that includes the voter’s name, residence address, and signature with the appropriate county elections official or city elections official prior to the day the petition is filed (Elections Code Section 103).

You may obtain the required forms in the City Clerk’s Office, 20 Civic Center Plaza, or you may download the forms available through the Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC). The forms required include:

If a candidate intends to solicit donations or spend more than $2,000 they must file the following forms:

Form 410: Statement of Organization – File with the Secretary of State and provide copy to City Clerk’s Office
Form 501: Candidate Intention Statement

If a candidate does not spend or solicit more than $2,000 they must file the following forms with the Secretary of State and provide copies to the City Clerk’s Office:

Form 470: Officeholder and Candidate Campaign Statement: Short Form Statement

To become a candidate in the next City election, you must first be a registered voter and reside in the ward from which you intend to be nominated for at least 30 days prior to the time nomination papers are issued to you. Persons wishing to run for Mayor can live anywhere in the City, but must reside within the City for at least 30 days prior to nomination papers being issued. Nomination papers and other candidate forms are only available during regular business hours, as posted, by appointment. The official filing period begins 113 days prior to Election Day and ends not later than the 88th day prior to the election. The Election Calendar is available for review on the City’s website.

Elections for Councilmembers and the Mayor are held in even-numbered years — on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The next City election will be held on November 5, 2024, and the voters will elect Councilmembers for Wards 1, 3, 5, and Mayor.

The next General Municipal Election in Santa Ana will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.