Delhi, California Public Records

The Merced County Economic Development Department works closely with businesses in the Delhi area to support their growth and development, attracting new investment and fostering a thriving business environment.

Law enforcement services in the Delhi area are provided by the Merced County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for patrolling the unincorporated communities within the county, responding to emergency calls, and investigating criminal activity. In addition to their law enforcement duties, the Sheriff's deputies also serve as the primary provider of court security and civil process services. Residents can contact the Sheriff's Office to report crimes, request assistance, or inquire about the status of ongoing investigations.

Delhi voters are served by the Merced County Registrar of Voters, located at 2222 M Street, Merced, CA 95340, phone (209) 385-7541, website www.co.merced.ca.us/195/Registrar-of-Voters. This office administers all aspects of voter registration, election administration, and campaign disclosure for Delhi and all of Merced County. Delhi residents can register to vote online through the California Secretary of State's website at https://registertovote.ca.gov, which allows new registrations and updates to existing registrations. California offers same-day voter registration during early voting and on Election Day through conditional voter registration. To register, applicants must be U.S. citizens, California residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction. The voter registration deadline for most elections is 15 days before Election Day, though conditional registration remains available through Election Day itself.

As an unincorporated community, Delhi does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council, as there is no city government structure. Delhi residents participate in county, state, and federal elections. Merced County typically holds elections for the five-member Board of Supervisors (with Delhi located in one of the five supervisorial districts), County Sheriff, District Attorney, Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and other county offices. These county offices generally appear on the ballot during gubernatorial election years (2026, 2030) or presidential election years depending on the term cycle.

Delhi voters can find their assigned polling place or vote center using the online lookup tool at www.co.merced.ca.us/195/Registrar-of-Voters or by calling (209) 385-7541. Merced County transitioned to the Voter's Choice Act model, which provides all registered voters with mail-in ballots automatically sent approximately 29 days before each election, along with multiple days of early voting at vote centers throughout the county starting 10 days before Election Day. Vote centers allow voters to cast ballots, register to vote, update registration, obtain replacement ballots, and access language assistance and accessible voting equipment at any vote center location in the county, not just an assigned precinct.

Under California law, voter registration information including names and addresses is public record accessible to candidates, campaigns, and researchers, though certain information such as driver's license numbers and birth dates is confidential. Campaign finance disclosure statements for local candidates and ballot measure committees are available through the Merced County Registrar of Voters office and online. Precinct-level election results are published on the Registrar's website following each election, showing vote totals by geographic area including the Delhi area precincts.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Merced County reported approximately 53-58% voter turnout among registered voters, with approximately 66,000-72,000 ballots cast out of roughly 124,000 registered voters countywide. These figures reflect typical patterns for presidential election years in the county.

The November 3, 2026 general election will be a gubernatorial election year in California. Delhi and Merced County voters will decide several significant races including: California Governor (incumbent Gavin Newsom is term-limited; open seat), Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. One of California's U.S. Senate seats will also be on the ballot in 2026 (currently held by Alex Padilla, whose term expires January 2027). State legislative races will include California State Senate and State Assembly districts covering Delhi. Merced County offices expected on the 2026 ballot include Sheriff, District Attorney, and potentially Board of Supervisors seats depending on district rotation. Local special district positions such as school board trustees for Delhi Unified School District and water district directors will also appear. Any local tax measures, bond measures, or ballot initiatives will be listed.

California voters can request vote-by-mail ballots (which are now automatically sent to all registered voters in Merced County under the Voter's Choice Act) by contacting the Registrar of Voters or updating preferences online. Military and overseas voters can receive and return ballots electronically through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. Voted mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 7 days after the election to be counted, or can be dropped at any official ballot drop box or vote center through 8:00 PM on Election Day.