Portola Valley, California Public Records

When major crimes or emergencies arise, these departments work together, often coordinating with the Sheriff's Office for additional resources and investigative support across jurisdictional boundaries.

Under the California Public Records Act, these documents are accessible to ensure transparency while safeguarding sensitive information that might compromise ongoing investigations or personal privacy.

For municipal records and current town information, residents can turn to the official website at PortolaValley.net, which is the primary resource for accessing local government documents and staying informed about community matters.

Voter registration is available online at https://registertovote.ca.gov, California's official portal operated by the Secretary of State. The standard deadline falls 15 days before any election, though the state offers conditional voter registration through Election Day itself, allowing eligible citizens to register and vote provisionally at vote centers or the San Mateo County elections office. Registration requires a California driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. The state also permits 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister if they'll turn 18 by the next election. Municipal elections for Town Council seats and Mayor follow a regular schedule in this community. The Town Council consists of five members elected at-large to four-year staggered terms, with elections held in even-numbered years to coincide with November's statewide general elections. The next Town Council election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with specific seats determined by term expirations. Candidate filing information and local ballot measures appear at https://www.portolavalley.net and the San Mateo County Elections office starting approximately 113 days before each election. Finding your assigned voting location is straightforward through https://www.smcacre.org/elections using the "Find My Polling Place" tool, or by consulting the sample ballot mailed to every registered voter about 29 days before each election. The county has adopted the Voter's Choice Act model, establishing multiple vote centers that open several days before and on Election Day. This allows voters to cast ballots at any center countywide rather than being restricted to a single precinct polling place. California law makes certain election records publicly accessible. Voter registration lists, excluding confidential addresses for protected voters, can be purchased for political purposes. Campaign finance disclosure statements for local candidates are filed with the Town Clerk at Town Hall and available for public inspection. State and county candidate filings can be accessed through the California Secretary of State at https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov and the San Mateo County elections office. Precinct-level election results for the area are published by the San Mateo County Elections Division after each election at https://www.smcacre.org/elections. San Mateo County reported approximately 74% voter turnout in the November 2024 general election, reflecting historically high civic engagement across the region. The town itself typically exceeds even those numbers, frequently posting turnout rates of 80-85% in presidential elections. On November 3, 2026, voters in the community and throughout San Mateo County will decide multiple federal, state, county, and local races. All 52 California U.S. House seats will appear on the ballot, with the town located in California's 16th Congressional District. At the state level, all 80 California Assembly seats and 20 of the 40 State Senate seats (even-numbered districts) will be contested. While the Governor's office isn't up for election in 2026, statewide offices including Attorney General, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, and Superintendent of Public Instruction will all be on the ballot. County voters will elect Board of Supervisors seats depending on district and term expirations, along with Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, and other county positions. Town Council seats will also be contested locally. As a permanent vote-by-mail state, California automatically sends mail ballots to all registered voters for every election. These ballots are mailed starting 29 days before Election Day. Voters can request replacement ballots, track their ballot status at https://california.ballottrax.net, and return ballots by mail with no postage required if mailed by Election Day, at secure drop boxes throughout San Mateo County, or at any vote center. One-time mail ballot applications aren't necessary since all voters receive them automatically, though voters can update their mailing address through the San Mateo County elections office or online at registertovote.ca.gov.