Scotts Valley, California Public Records

The standard deadline falls 15 days before any election, though California offers conditional voter registration allowing eligible citizens to register and vote provisionally during the 14-day period before Election Day and on Election Day itself at vote centers or the Elections Office. Registration requires a California driver's license or ID number, or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds can pre-register if they'll turn 18 by the next election. Municipal elections for the City of Scotts Valley occur in November of even-numbered years, consolidated with statewide general elections. Five City Council members and a Mayor are elected at-large, each serving four-year terms. Elections are staggered so either two or three seats appear on the ballot every two years. The next municipal election is November 4, 2025, featuring City Council seats. Local voters also participate in elections for the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors—the city falls within the 1st Supervisorial District—along with state and federal races. Residents can locate their assigned polling place through the voting center lookup tool at votescount.us or by calling 831-454-2060. Santa Cruz County now operates under the Voter's Choice Act model, which provides multiple vote centers available to any county voter during a multi-day period before and including Election Day, alongside traditional neighborhood polling locations on Election Day. Public election records in California include voter registration lists, available for political purposes under strict regulations, and campaign finance reports filed by candidates and ballot measure committees. State race filings can be searched at cal-access.sos.ca.gov, while local race information is available through the County Elections Office. Candidate statements, filings, and precinct-level results are also public, though actual ballots remain confidential. The County Elections Department publishes detailed results on its website after each election. During the November 2024 presidential election, Santa Cruz County recorded approximately 66% voter turnout, with over 130,000 ballots cast from roughly 197,000 registered voters. Scotts Valley participated at similar or slightly higher rates, demonstrating the community's civic engagement. On November 3, 2026, several important races will appear before local voters. The California gubernatorial election is scheduled, with Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited and unable to seek reelection. All 80 State Assembly seats and 20 of the 40 State Senate seats will be contested, including districts covering the city—the 29th Assembly District and 17th Senate District based on current boundaries. No U.S. Senate seat from California is scheduled for 2026, as both Senators Padilla and Butler/Schiff are in different cycle years. County offices on the ballot include certain Santa Cruz County Supervisor seats, County Clerk, and other constitutional offices depending on term schedules. City Council seats will also be contested in November 2026 as part of the regular municipal election cycle. California voters can request mail-in ballots through the County Elections Department website or by calling 831-454-2060, though all registered voters now automatically receive mail ballots under current law. Voted ballots can be returned by mail if postmarked by Election Day, deposited in official drop boxes throughout Santa Cruz County, or delivered in person to vote centers or the Elections Office.