Mojave, California Public Records

As an unincorporated community without municipal governance, the area doesn't hold city council or mayoral elections. Instead, residents participate in elections for the Kern County Board of Supervisors (District 4 represents the Mojave area), California State Assembly and Senate seats, U.S. Congressional races, statewide offices, and ballot measures. Voter registration is available online at registertovote.ca.gov, the centralized portal managed by California's Secretary of State. Online registration requires a valid California driver's license or ID card number. The standard registration deadline falls 15 days before Election Day, though California's conditional voter registration system permits eligible citizens to register and vote provisionally during the 14-day period leading up to and including Election Day at designated locations. New voters and those who have relocated must update their registration to receive the correct ballot for their residential address in the community. Acceptable identification for registration includes a California driver's license, California ID card, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Kern County adopted the Voter's Choice Act in 2020, shifting to an all-mail ballot model. Every registered voter in the area automatically receives a vote-by-mail ballot roughly 29 days before each election. Ballots can be returned by mail using the postage-paid envelope, deposited in official ballot drop boxes scattered throughout Kern County (including locations in the Mojave area), or cast in person at a Vote Center during the voting period. Vote Centers operate for multiple days before Election Day and provide same-day voter registration, ballot replacement, accessible voting equipment, and language assistance. Residents can locate their assigned Vote Center and ballot drop box by visiting www.kernvote.com and using the polling place lookup tool, or by reviewing the Sample Ballot mailed to each household before the election. Turnout dropped to roughly 45% in the November 8, 2022, general election, when 167,000 ballots were cast. Local voting patterns generally mirror eastern Kern County's conservative-leaning tendencies. California does not have a U.S.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for Mojave voters are published by the California Secretary of State (https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections). However, all 80 seats in the California State Assembly will be contested, including the district representing the community (currently Assembly District 33). All odd-numbered State Senate seats (20 of 40) will also appear on the ballot. At the Kern County level, voters will elect members of the Board of Supervisors for certain districts (supervisors serve four-year staggered terms), along with countywide offices such as Sheriff, District Attorney, Assessor-Recorder, Auditor-Controller, and Treasurer-Tax Collector, depending on the election cycle. Residents should consult www.kernvote.com for the official roster of races and candidates as the 2026 election draws closer. California election records are largely accessible under the California Public Records Act. Voter registration information, including names and addresses of registered voters, is available for purchase for political and research purposes, though sensitive personal information (birthdate, driver's license number) is redacted. Campaign finance records, covering contributions and expenditures for state and local candidates and ballot measure committees, can be searched online through the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) at www.fppc.ca.gov for state races, and through the Kern County Elections Division for local contests. Candidate filings, nomination papers, and statements of qualifications are public records open for inspection at the Elections Division office. Official election results, including precinct-by-precinct vote totals, are published on www.kernvote.com after each election and are considered public records. Residents interested in running for office or accessing election data can contact the Kern County Elections Division at (661) 868-3590 or visit the office in person at 1115 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield.