Hillsborough, California Public Records

Public safety in Hillsborough is the responsibility of the Hillsborough Police Department, which works to maintain a low crime rate within the community. The department's website provides information on its services, programs, and resources available to local residents. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also maintains an inmate search tool that can be used to locate individuals incarcerated from the Hillsborough area.

Hillsborough voters are served by the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division, located at 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402 (phone: 650-312-5222, website: www.smcacre.org/elections). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Hillsborough residents. California voters can register online at https://registertovote.ca.gov up to 15 days before an election, with same-day conditional voter registration available at polling places and the elections office through Election Day. Applicants must provide their California driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Hillsborough conducts municipal elections for its Town Council (five members serving staggered four-year terms) and its elected Town Treasurer. Council elections typically occur in November of odd-numbered years, with the next regular municipal election scheduled for November 2025. The Mayor is selected annually by the Council from among its members, not directly elected. Hillsborough residents can find their assigned polling place, vote center, or ballot drop box location through the County Elections website at www.smcacre.org/elections or by calling 650-312-5222. San Mateo County is a vote-by-mail county, meaning all registered voters automatically receive mail ballots approximately 29 days before each election. Voters may return ballots by mail (postmarked by Election Day), at official drop boxes throughout the county (until 8 PM on Election Day), or at any vote center during early voting or on Election Day. California law makes voter registration records public, though home addresses are redacted for privacy. Campaign finance disclosure reports for local candidates are filed with the Town Clerk and available for inspection at Town Hall (1600 Floribunda Avenue), while state and federal campaign finance data is searchable at cal-access.sos.ca.gov. In the November 2024 presidential election, San Mateo County reported approximately 72% voter turnout, with over 330,000 ballots cast out of approximately 460,000 registered voters, reflecting the county's high civic engagement. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Hillsborough and San Mateo County voters will decide the California gubernatorial race (Governor Gavin Newsom's current term expires January 2027), all statewide constitutional offices including Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, the U.S. House of Representatives seat for California's 15th Congressional District (which includes Hillsborough), State Senate and Assembly districts, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 3 (which includes Hillsborough), countywide offices including Sheriff and District Attorney, the San Mateo County Board of Education, and various judicial offices and ballot measures. No U.S. Senate seat is scheduled for California in 2026. California offers permanent vote-by-mail status (automatically renewed), and ballots can be tracked through the Where's My Ballot system at https://california.ballottrax.net.