Petaluma, California Public Records

Public safety in Petaluma, California is the responsibility of the Petaluma Police Department. The department's website provides information on local crime statistics, arrest records, and the department's role in serving the community. Residents can also utilize the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Inmate Locator to search for individuals incarcerated in state prisons. Additionally, the California Department of Justice maintains a statewide sex offender registry and missing persons database that covers the Petaluma area.

Petaluma voters are served by the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, located at 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 (707-565-6800, vote.sonoma-county.org). This office administers all federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Petaluma residents, maintaining voter rolls for approximately 42,000 registered voters within city limits. California offers same-day voter registration through Election Day under conditional voter registration rules, though the standard deadline is 15 days before each election. Residents register online at registertovote.ca.gov, where the system interfaces directly with DMV records for seamless processing. California automatically registers eligible citizens who conduct DMV transactions unless they opt out, a policy that has boosted registration rates significantly since 2018.

Petaluma, as an incorporated city, elects a mayor and six city council members. The mayor is directly elected to a two-year term, while council members serve staggered four-year terms. Municipal elections occur in November of even-numbered years, consolidated with state and federal elections to boost turnout. The next Petaluma city elections will be held November 3, 2026, when three council seats and the mayor's position will be on the ballot. Candidates file nomination papers with the City Clerk at City Hall, 11 English Street, typically in July and August before November elections. Local ballot measures addressing development, taxes, or city charter amendments also appear regularly. Petaluma voters tend to lean progressive, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans roughly 2-to-1 in registration, though nonpartisan voters comprise the fastest-growing segment.

To find their assigned polling place, Petaluma residents use the Registrar's online lookup tool at vote.sonoma-county.org/polling-place-lookup or call 707-565-6800. California now conducts elections primarily by mail, with every registered voter receiving a ballot automatically 29 days before Election Day. Voters can return ballots by mail (postmarked by Election Day), at drop boxes throughout Petaluma and Sonoma County (until 8 p.m. on Election Day), or at any Vote Center during the 11-day voting period. The Petaluma Community Center at 320 North McDowell Boulevard typically serves as a Vote Center. In the November 2024 presidential election, Sonoma County recorded approximately 74% voter turnout among its 308,000 registered voters, with Petaluma precincts closely mirroring that countywide rate.

The November 3, 2026 election will feature California's gubernatorial race (Governor Gavin Newsom's term ends in 2027, so this will be an open seat if he doesn't seek another term), all 80 State Assembly seats, 20 of the 40 State Senate seats, and numerous statewide ballot propositions. No U.S. Senate seat is up in 2026 for California. Sonoma County voters will also decide county supervisor races, judges, the district attorney, and potentially tax measures. Campaign finance records for local candidates are filed with the City Clerk and searchable at netfile.com/petalumaca, while state candidate filings appear at cal-access.sos.ca.gov. Voter registration lists are available for purchase by campaigns and researchers, though individual voter history (which elections someone voted in) is public while ballot choices remain secret. Precinct-level election results are posted at vote.sonoma-county.org within hours of polls closing, providing granular data on how Petaluma neighborhoods voted.