Elections
Elections & Voter Information
The City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) is a Charter City with a City Council/City manager form of government. Starting in 2018, registered voters elect seven (7) City Councilmembers by Districts. City Councilmembers serve a term of four (4) years with the terms being staggered on a 2-year basis with three (3) members being elected at one election and four (4) at the next. The Mayor is elected among its members and serves a two (2) year term.
Upcoming Elections
| Election Day | Districts |
|---|---|
| November 8, 2022 | 1, 4, 5, 6 |
| November 5, 2024 | 2, 3, 7 |
Next Election
The City of Ventura General Municipal Election shall be held biennially on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in each even-numbered year, or to coincide with any general state-wide election held in November of each even-numbered year (Charter Art. V, Sec. 500).
Read our Election Calendar for a detailed timeline of the 2022 election process:
Voter Registration Information
As of January 1, 2022, all registered voters will be issued a Vote By Mail Ballot, without having to request it. Ventura County voters are also able to vote in person at any vote center located throughout Ventura County.
The last day to register to vote for the November 8, 2022, election is Monday, October 24, 2022.
Eligibility and Candidacy
No person shall hold or be eligible for nomination to office as a member of the City Council unless at the time their nomination papers are filed or their appointment made, they are a registered voter of this City and they have been continuously, for at least one year next preceding their election or appointment, a resident of this City or of territory annexed thereto (Charter Art. V, Sec. 503)
Nomination Period (Election Code § 10220)
All forms and nomination documents are available from the City Clerk’s Office. Only the official forms prepared or issued by the City Clerk’s Office may be used. Candidates, or their authorized agents, will be given both oral and written instructions on the procedures to complete the nomination process at the time they apply.
City Council Candidate Eligibility
City of San Buenaventura (Ventura) Charter Section 503 states, "No person shall hold, or be eligible for nomination to office as a member of the City Council unless at the time his nomination papers are filed, or his appointment made, he is a registered voter of this City …prior to filing his/her nomination papers for election or appointment, a resident of this City or of territory annexed thereto"
A Member of the City Council elected to represent a district must reside in that district and be a registered voter in that district, and any candidate for City Council must live in, and be a registered voter in, the district in which he or she seeks election at the time nomination papers are issued, pursuant to Elections Code 10227. Termination of residency in a district by a Member of the City Council shall create an immediate vacancy for that Council district unless a substitute residence within the district is established within 30 days after the termination of residency. [Ordinance 2018-001, Chapter 2.210–San Buenaventura Municipal Code]
Prior to soliciting for any campaign funds OR expending any personal funds for the election, individuals must file FPPC Form 501 (Candidate Intention Statement) with the City Clerk.