Lagunitas, California Public Records

The office conducts all federal, state, county, and local elections for Marin County voters, including those in unincorporated communities like this one. Residents register to vote through California's online voter registration system at https://registertovote.ca.gov, which allows eligible citizens to register or update their registration entirely online if they have a California driver's license or state ID card. New registrations must be submitted at least 15 days before an election to be eligible to vote in that election. California also offers same-day conditional voter registration during the 14-day period before Election Day and on Election Day itself at vote centers and county elections offices, allowing eligible citizens to register and cast a provisional ballot that will be counted once registration is verified. Voters must be U.S. Citizens, California residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction. California automatically registers eligible citizens who complete driver's license transactions at the DMV unless they opt out, through the state's Motor Voter program. As an unincorporated community, Lagunitas has no municipal government, mayor, or city council elections. Residents vote in county, state, and federal elections but don't have city-specific races. The area falls within supervisorial district boundaries for the Marin County Board of Supervisors, which governs unincorporated areas. The Board consists of five members elected by district to four-year staggered terms. Local voters also participate in elections for various special districts that provide services such as fire protection (Marin County Fire Department), schools (Lagunitas School District), and water services, depending on the specific location within the community. Voters can find their assigned polling place or vote center through the Marin County Elections website's polling place lookup tool at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/voting-and-elections/polling-place-lookup, which requires entering a residential address. California has implemented the Voter's Choice Act in Marin County, which provides vote centers that are open for multiple days before and including Election Day, rather than traditional single-day precinct polling places. Vote centers allow any county voter to cast a ballot at any center, providing greater flexibility. Public election records in California include voter registration information (though residential addresses and certain personal data are confidential), precinct-level election results, campaign finance disclosures, and candidate filing information. The Marin County Elections website publishes detailed election results by precinct and voting method at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/voting-and-elections/election-results. Campaign finance reports for local candidates and ballot measure committees are filed with the county and can be accessed through the Elections Department. State-level campaign finance data is available through the California Fair Political Practices Commission at http://www.fppc.ca.gov. Voter registration statistics and historical election data are publicly available, though individual voter history (which elections a person voted in, though not how they voted) has restricted access. In the November 2024 presidential election, Marin County demonstrated its characteristic high voter engagement and progressive lean, with overall turnout exceeding 75% of registered voters. County voters strongly supported Democratic candidates, continuing a decades-long trend of solid Democratic majorities in presidential and statewide races. Specific precinct data for the Lagunitas area reflected similar patterns, with high participation rates and progressive voting patterns consistent with West Marin communities. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Lagunitas and Marin County voters will decide several significant races. The 2026 ballot will include California's gubernatorial election, as Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and cannot seek re-election, creating an open race for the state's highest office. All statewide constitutional offices will be on the ballot, including Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Controller, Treasurer, and Insurance Commissioner. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla's seat will be up for election (elected in the special election and subsequent full election following Kamala Harris's appointment as Vice President). All of California's 52 U.S. House seats will be contested, with Lagunitas falling within California's 2nd Congressional District. California State Assembly and State Senate seats will be on the ballot depending on district cycles, with local voters participating in districts that represent Marin County. The county will elect constitutional officers including Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, and potentially County Supervisor seats depending on the rotation. Various judicial seats for Superior Court judges may appear on the ballot, along with potential county measures, special district elections, and statewide ballot propositions. California offers universal vote-by-mail, with every registered voter automatically receiving a mail ballot approximately 29 days before each election. Voters can return mail ballots via U.S. Mail (postmarked by Election Day), at official drop boxes located throughout Marin County (accessible until 8 PM on Election Day), or at any vote center. Vote-by-mail ballots can be requested at any time through the Marin County Elections Department by phone at (415) 473-6456, through the website, or by mail. Military and overseas voters can register and receive ballots electronically through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. Ballot tracking is available through the "Where's My Ballot?" system at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/, allowing voters to track their mail ballot from mailing through counting.