Buttonwillow, California Public Records

The Elections Division conducts all federal, state, county, and local district elections that impact local residents. Residents can register to vote online through the California Secretary of State's website at registertovote.ca.gov, which provides a secure registration system. Paper registration forms remain available at the post office, DMV, libraries, and the Elections Office. Eligibility requires U.S. Citizenship, California residency, being at least 18 years old by the next election, and not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction. California offers same-day conditional voter registration, allowing eligible persons to register and vote provisionally at vote centers or the Elections Office during the 14-day period before and including Election Day. The standard registration deadline falls 15 days before Election Day. Those aged 16 and 17 can pre-register and will be automatically registered upon turning 18. As an unincorporated community, Buttonwillow holds no municipal elections for mayor or city council. Residents instead vote in Kern County elections for the five-member Board of Supervisors - Buttonwillow falls within Supervisorial District 4 - along with county constitutional officers including Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor-Recorder, Auditor-Controller-County Clerk, and Treasurer-Tax Collector. Superior Court judges also appear on local ballots. Residents participate in state and federal elections and vote for special district boards such as school boards, water districts, and cemetery districts. Voters can find their assigned polling place or vote center using the lookup tool at www.kernvote.com or by calling the Elections Division. Kern County has adopted the Voter's Choice Act model, replacing traditional precinct-based polling with vote centers that serve multiple precincts and offer extended hours and days. Vote centers open several days before Election Day and allow voters to cast ballots at any center countywide, not just their assigned precinct. Registration status, sample ballots, and ballot status can be checked online through the Kern County elections website. Election records available to the public in California include voter registration lists (available for political and election related purposes under California Elections Code Section 2188), precinct-level election results showing vote totals by candidate and measure, campaign finance reports filed by candidates and committees (searchable at the California Secretary of State's Cal-Access database at cal-access.sos.ca.gov and locally for county candidates), candidate statements and filings, and official election canvass reports. Individual voter history, whether someone voted in a particular election, but not their ballot choices, is public record, while actual ballot selections remain secret. In the November 3, 2020 general election, Kern County reported approximately 351,000 registered voters with about 222,000 ballots cast, representing roughly 63% turnout. The November 8, 2022 midterm election saw lower turnout at approximately 45%. For the November 5, 2024 presidential election, preliminary data indicated county voter turnout of approximately 60-65%, with strong Republican performance consistent with Kern County's conservative political lean. Certified results are available on the Kern County Elections website. The November 3, 2026 general election will be a gubernatorial election year in California. Buttonwillow and Kern County voters will decide several major races: California Governor (Gavin Newsom's current term expires; he may run for re-election or the office will be open), all statewide constitutional offices including Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction; all California State Assembly seats (members serve two-year terms); half of the California State Senate seats (whether the local district is up depends on the district); various Kern County offices including some Supervisorial seats, elected department heads, and judges; and local school board and special district positions. No U.S. Senate seat from California is scheduled for election in 2026, as both current senators (Alex Padilla and the appointee or elected successor to Dianne Feinstein's seat) have terms extending beyond 2026. Voters should check the Kern County Elections website beginning in early 2026 for candidate filings and ballot measure information. California offers multiple options for voting by mail. Any registered voter can request a vote-by-mail ballot without providing a reason. Recent law changes now mandate that California automatically mail ballots to all registered active voters for each election. Voters can return mail ballots by U.S. Mail (postmarked by Election Day), by dropping them in official ballot drop boxes located throughout Kern County (available 24/7 and listed on the Kern County elections website), or by delivering them in person to any vote center or the Elections Office. Ballots must be received by the Elections Office within seven days after Election Day if postmarked by Election Day. Voters can track their mail ballot status at california.ballottrax.net/voter/ using the state's ballot tracking system.