Thinking about running for a position on the Capitola City Council? Here's how.

Eligibility

Any person is eligible to hold office as an elected Council Member if the person is:

A citizen of the United States of America; and
A resident and registered voter in the City of Capitola.

What You Can Do to Prepare

If you aren't sure if you are registered to vote in Capitola, contact the Santa Cruz County Elections Department at 831-454-2060.

Read City Council agendas and staff reports, available on the City's website.
Attend City Council meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers (420 Capitola Avenue).
Familiarize yourself with the Capitola Municipal Code, which is available on the City's website.
File a Form 501 Candidate Intention Statement with the City Clerk. This form must be filed before soliciting or receiving any contribution or spending any personal funds for the election.

Nomination Period and Petition Information

The City of Capitola holds its elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. The City Council is composed of five council members, all of whom are directly elected by the voters in the City of Capitola to serve four-year terms. The terms are staggered; in 2026, three terms will be up for election.

The nomination period opens 113 days before Election Day and ends 88 days before Election Day. This is the period of time during which you can obtain your nomination packet, which includes the petition and forms you need to submit to run for office. If an incumbent (somebody currently holding the office) does not file, the filing period will be extended an additional 5 days.

Candidates are encouraged to contact the City Clerk to schedule an appointment to take out and/or file nomination papers. Appointments can be made by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@ci.capitola.ca.us or calling 831-475-7300.

Common Terms for Candidates

Nomination Paper: Your official nomination paper will be included in your nomination packet. To qualify as a candidate, you must obtain the signatures of at least 20, but not more than 30, registered voters in Capitola.
Ballot Designation: This is the word or words which appear on the ballot under your name. It designates your principal profession, vocation, or occupation (subject to certain requirements of the Elections Code).
Candidate Statement: This is an up to 200-word statement that is published in the Sample Ballot and mailed to all registered voters. If you choose to have a candidate statement, you will be responsible for the cost of printing, translating, and publishing the statement in the Sample Ballot.

Campaign Finance Reporting

If you plan to raise or spend more than $2,000, you should do the following:

File a Form 501 Candidate Intention Statement with the City Clerk, if you haven't already.
Within 10 days of receiving $2,000 in contributions, file a Form 410, Statement of Organization with the Secretary of State.
Open a bank account for your campaign committee.
Become familiar with campaign report filing requirements and deadlines.
Review FPPC information available on the FPPC website or call the FPPC at 916-322-5660.

Campaign Signs

If you wish to install campaign signs, the following rules apply:

Review Capitola Municipal Code 17.80.020 and 17.80.050.
A Statement of Responsibility must be filed with the City Clerk at least 2 days prior to installing campaign/political signs.
No campaign signs are allowed on public property.
The maximum allowable size of political signs is six feet in height and 32 square feet per unit.
Signs must be removed within 1 day following the election.