Election Schedule

The General Municipal Election for the City of San Mateo is held in November of even-numbered years. The City of San Mateo has five Council districts for City Council elections. Under San Mateo's district-based election system, City Council candidates must reside in the district they are running for. Learn more about District Elections. 

• Voters in Districts 1, 3 and 5 elected Council members in November 2022
• Voters in Districts 2 and 4 elected Council members in November 2024

Who Can Run for City Council?

Any member of the public who meets the requirements below may run for public office in the City of San Mateo. Candidates must:

• Be at least eighteen years of age
• Be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of California
• Be a registered voter of the City of San Mateo
• Have resided continuously in San Mateo for at least 30 days immediately preceding the appointment or final filing date for nomination papers. Registration will be verified before issuance of nomination papers.

Nomination Forms

Candidates must obtain and complete the official nomination documents that are issued by the Office of the City Clerk. This is done during the official nomination period. Nomination forms are issued at no charge.

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm (closed 12pm-1pm) except for City holidays. To schedule an appointment, please contact the City Clerk's Office. A candidate should be prepared to provide their name and residential address for validation of current voter registration and eligibility status for the district they intend to run in. 

Key Election Dates

Monday, July 15, 2024
Nomination Period opened at 8:00 am

Friday, August 9, 2024
Nomination Period closed at 5:00 pm

Monday, September 9, 2024 to Tuesday October 22, 2024
Write-in Candidate Filing Period

Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Election Day - Polls Opened at 7:00 am and Polls Closed at 8:00 pm.

San Mateo City Council Terms

San Mateo City Council Members are elected to serve four-year terms. Incumbent City Council Members may only serve up to three consecutive terms. No partial term of office shall be counted as any portion of the consecutive terms. The term expirations for the City Council are staggered so that only half of the offices expire at a time.

In the event that a City Council seat becomes vacant, that seat shall be filled by appointment by the Council.