Elections

The City Clerk is the election official and oversees the conduct of local elections in accordance with federal, state, and local laws to ensure that city elections are conducted in a fair and impartial manner. 


Bookmark this page and check back often, as this site will be updated during the election cycle on a regular basis.


General Law


Poway is a General Law city governed by a 5-member City Council.  A Mayor and 4 members of the City Council are elected to serve 4-year terms.  Beginning in 2018, elections for council members will be by district, instead of the current at-large (also known as citywide) elections. The Mayor will continue to be elected on a citywide basis.  Poway consolidates its General Municipal Elections with the Statewide General Elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.  View map here.


 General Municipal Election - November 6, 2018

Poway's next General Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 for the purpose of electing:

Mayor     At Large    4-Year Term
Member of the City Council     District 1    4-Year Term
Member of the City Council      District 3    4-Year Term
Member of the City Council     At Large    2-Year Term *
(*Member of the City Council to fill the vacancy of an at-large term expiring in 2020 created by the resignation of Councilmember Jim Cunningham, effective June 6, 2018.)

Qualified Candidates List

The candidates have authorized the City to publish these addresses and phone numbers.  The names are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.  View list here.
 
For additional information, please contact the Poway City Clerk's Office at 13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway, CA 92064, (858) 668-4530, or email the City Clerk. 

Candidate Statements

City Proceeds with District Elections in 2018

 

The City of Poway is holding district elections in November 2018 as set forth in the Poway Municipal Code. The City will not take any action to change its method of election for November 2018. However, the plaintiff in the ongoing Higginson v. City of Poway case has requested that the court enjoin the City from holding district elections and forcing a conversion back to at large elections. On October 2, 2018, the District Court denied the plaintiff’s request for an injunction, allowing the City to continue proceeding with its district elections. This decision is subject to appeal, but no appeal has been filed.  The City does not anticipate any action to be taken that would interfere with its November 2018 district elections.


Calendar of Events
The calendar below outlines the important dates related to this election (dates governed by the Elections Code).


Political Sign Regulations 


On August 2, 2016, the Poway City Council adopted sign regulations and affect political signs for this campaign season.  These regulations can be found in the Poway Municipal Code, Section 17.40.090(D), and in Ordinance No. 791 which was adopted August 2, 2016.  These regulations are outlined in the Campaign Sign Regulations Fact Sheet and FAQ’s below:


Campaign Contribution Regulations

 


What do I Need to Know About Running for Local Office?

Getting Started 


Additional Information

 
For information related to voter registration, Frequently Asked Questions, and more, please see the links below.  

4-Year Term
4-Year Term