Belmont, California Public Records

When major crimes or emergencies cross boundaries, these agencies pool resources and support, often turning to the Sheriff's Office for assistance with larger investigations that require additional personnel or specialized capabilities.

Registration must be completed 15 days before an election. Same-day conditional voter registration is available during the 14-day period before Election Day and on Election Day itself at the San Mateo County elections office or designated voting locations, allowing eligible citizens to register and vote provisionally. Belmont holds municipal elections for its five-member City Council and Mayor. Council members are elected at-large to four-year staggered terms, with two or three seats up for election in alternating even-numbered years. Municipal elections are consolidated with statewide elections and held in November of even-numbered years. The next City Council election will be held in November 2026, when voters will elect council members whose terms expire. Candidates file nomination papers with the City Clerk at City Hall. Residents find their assigned polling place or vote center by visiting the County Elections website at www.smcacre.org/elections and using the polling place lookup tool, or by checking their sample ballot mailed before each election. California has transitioned to a vote center model in many counties, allowing voters to cast ballots at any designated vote center in their county during the early voting period or on Election Day. In the November 2024 presidential election, San Mateo County reported approximately 75% voter turnout, with over 320,000 ballots cast out of approximately 425,000 registered voters, reflecting San Mateo County's high civic engagement. For the November 3, 2026 general election, voters will decide several significant races: California's gubernatorial election (Governor Gavin Newsom's term expires in 2026), all 80 seats in the California State Assembly, 20 of the 40 California State Senate seats, countywide offices including San Mateo County Sheriff and potentially County Supervisor seats depending on district schedules, judicial positions, and City Council seats. U.S. Senate seats from California are not scheduled for election in 2026 (next in 2028). Voters will also decide on state ballot propositions and local ballot measures that may include school bonds, parcel taxes, or city charter amendments. California is a universal vote-by-mail state, meaning every registered voter automatically receives a vote-by-mail ballot for each election, typically mailed 29 days before Election Day. Voters can complete and return the ballot by mail (postmarked by Election Day), drop it at any official ballot drop box location throughout San Mateo County (by 8 PM on Election Day), or return it to any vote center. Voters can also choose to vote in person at vote centers during the early voting period or on Election Day. Election records that are public in California include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (searchable at cal-access.sos.ca.gov), candidate statements and filings available through the County Elections office, and precinct-level election results published after each election on the County Elections website, showing vote totals by precinct, district, and jurisdiction.