Forbestown, California Public Records

Law enforcement services for Forbestown are provided by the Butte County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office patrols the unincorporated areas of Butte County, including the 95941 ZIP code, and is responsible for responding to calls, investigating crimes, and making arrests as necessary. Residents of Forbestown can contact the Butte County Sheriff's Office for any public safety concerns or to request law enforcement assistance.

Forbestown voters are served by the Butte County Clerk-Recorder and Elections Office, officially known as the Butte County Clerk-Recorder, located at 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965, phone (530) 538-7691 or elections-specific line (530) 538-7761, website https://www.buttecounty.net/clerkrecorder/Elections. This office administers all aspects of voter registration, election administration, ballot processing, and official results canvassing for Forbestown and all other Butte County communities. Forbestown residents can register to vote online through the California Secretary of State's online voter registration portal at https://registertovote.ca.gov, which allows eligible citizens to complete registration applications electronically up to 15 days before any election. California also offers conditional voter registration, allowing individuals to register and vote provisionally at county elections offices or vote centers through Election Day. Voter registration requires California residency, U.S. citizenship, age 18 or older by Election Day, and not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction. Because Forbestown is an unincorporated community without municipal government, there are no city council, mayoral, or local municipal elections specific to Forbestown. Instead, residents vote in Butte County Board of Supervisors elections (District 3 represents the Forbestown area), countywide offices such as Sheriff, District Attorney, Assessor, and Clerk-Recorder, as well as state and federal races. Forbestown voters participate in California's statewide primary elections (typically held in March of even-numbered years) and general elections (first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years). Polling place assignments for Forbestown voters can be found using the California Secretary of State's polling place lookup tool at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place or by contacting the Butte County Elections Office directly; many California counties, including Butte, have transitioned to vote center models allowing voters to cast ballots at any vote center in the county during early voting periods or on Election Day. California is a universal vote-by-mail state: all registered voters automatically receive mail-in ballots approximately 29 days before each election. Voters may return completed ballots by mail (postmarked by Election Day), at official ballot drop boxes located throughout the county, or in person at vote centers or the elections office. California law (Elections Code Section 2194) makes voter registration information, excluding confidential data like driver's license numbers and dates of birth, available as public records; the Elections Office provides voter lists to candidates, political parties, and committees for election-related purposes. Campaign finance disclosures, candidate statements, and local ballot measure filings are public records accessible through the Elections Office and the California Secretary of State's Cal-Access database at http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov. Precinct-level election results are posted on the Butte County Elections website following certification of results. In the November 2024 presidential election, Butte County reported a voter turnout of approximately 72-75%, reflecting strong participation across the county including rural areas like Forbestown. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Forbestown and Butte County voters will decide several key races: the California gubernatorial election (Governor Gavin Newsom's second term concludes in January 2027, making 2026 an open gubernatorial race), all 80 seats in the California State Assembly, 20 seats in the California State Senate (even-numbered districts), one of California's U.S. Senate seats if scheduled for election that cycle, all California U.S. House seats including the district representing Butte County (currently District 1), Butte County Board of Supervisors seats in districts up for election on a rotating schedule, and various countywide offices depending on term schedules. Local ballot measures addressing county ordinances, tax measures, or advisory questions may also appear on the 2026 ballot. California voters can request absentee/vote-by-mail ballots through the county elections office online portal, by phone, or by written request; again, all registered voters now receive mail ballots automatically under current California election law.