Los Altos, California Public Records

Bail can be posted in accordance with California's bail schedule, allowing for the release of detainees pending trial. Recent arrestees can be located by contacting the jail directly or using the online resources provided by the county.

The Los Altos Police Department, accessible at https://www.losaltosca.gov/police, is the primary law enforcement agency serving the city. The department is responsible for maintaining public safety, investigating crimes, and providing a range of community-oriented services. Residents can also access information on criminal history records, the sex offender registry, and missing persons through the California Department of Justice and other state-level resources.

Los Altos voters are served by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, located at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, CA 95112 (phone: 408-299-8683, website: https://www.sccvote.org). This office handles all aspects of voter registration, elections administration, vote counting, and election records for Los Altos and all of Santa Clara County. California residents can register to vote online through the California Secretary of State at https://registertovote.ca.gov up to 15 days before an election. California also offers conditional voter registration allowing registration and voting up through Election Day at designated locations. Voters must provide their California driver's license or identification card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Los Altos, as an incorporated city, holds municipal elections for Mayor and four City Council seats. The Mayor is elected at-large to a two-year term, while City Council members serve four-year staggered terms. Los Altos municipal elections are held in even-numbered years, typically consolidated with the November general election. The next Los Altos City Council election will be in November 2026, with two council seats on the ballot. Candidate filing information and local ballot measures are available at https://www.losaltosca.gov and through the Santa Clara County Registrar. Los Altos residents can find their assigned polling place using the online lookup tool at https://www.sccvote.org or by calling the Registrar. California is a universal vote-by-mail state, meaning all registered voters automatically receive mail ballots for every election, though in-person voting remains available at vote centers. Election records that are public in California include voter registration lists (available for election-related purposes), campaign finance disclosure reports through the California Fair Political Practices Commission at https://www.fppc.ca.gov and local filings with the Los Altos City Clerk, candidate statements and filings, and precinct-level election results. Individual voter history (which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is also public record. In the November 2024 presidential election, Santa Clara County reported approximately 67% voter turnout with over 800,000 ballots cast out of 1.2 million registered voters. On November 3, 2026, Los Altos and Santa Clara County voters will participate in statewide elections including races for Governor of California (Gavin Newsom's term expires in 2027, so the gubernatorial election will be in November 2026), all constitutional offices including Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, and Insurance Commissioner, as well as State Senate and Assembly seats. California does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026 (next is 2028). Santa Clara County offices including Board of Supervisors seats, Sheriff, District Attorney, and Assessor may also be on the ballot depending on term expirations. Los Altos City Council seats will also be decided. Absentee/mail-in ballots are automatically sent to all registered voters beginning 29 days before Election Day and can be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day), at secure drop boxes throughout the county, or at any vote center.