Cities In California

From Ballotpedia

  • Elections
    • 2025
      • Municipal elections, 2025
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    • 2024
      • Municipal elections, 2024
      • School board elections, 2024
      • Judicial elections, 2024
      • Local measure elections, 2024
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    • 2023
      • Municipal elections, 2023
      • School board elections, 2023
      • Judicial elections, 2023
      • Local measure elections, 2023
      • Recall elections, 2023
    • 2022
      • Municipal elections, 2022
      • School board elections, 2022
      • Judicial elections, 2022
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    • 2021
      • Municipal elections, 2021
      • School board elections, 2021
      • Judicial elections, 2021
      • Local measure elections, 2021
      • Recall elections, 2021
    • 2020
      • Municipal elections, 2020
      • School board elections, 2020
      • Judicial elections, 2020
      • Local measure elections, 2020
      • Recall elections, 2020
    • 2019
      • Municipal elections, 2019
      • School board elections, 2019
      • Judicial elections, 2019
      • Local measure elections, 2019
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    • 2018
      • Municipal elections, 2018
      • School board elections, 2018
      • Judicial elections, 2018
      • Local measure elections, 2018
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      • Municipal elections, 2017
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Municipal Government Final.png

Cities by state


Municipal government
Top counties
Top 100 cities by population

Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of elections in the 100 largest cities in America by population and the largest counties that overlap those cities. This encompasses all city, county, judicial, school district, and special district offices appearing on the ballot within those cities. Ballotpedia also covers mayors, city councils, and district attorneys in all state capitals.

This page includes the following resources:

  • The city governments covered by Ballotpedia in California
  • An overview of local elections in California
  • An overview of the initiative process in California

Cities[edit]

City government[edit]

Click the links in the table below for information about the cities in Ballotpedia's coverage scope and the county governments that overlap those cities:

City County
Anaheim Orange County
Bakersfield Kern County
Chula Vista San Diego County
Fremont Alameda County
Fresno Fresno County
Irvine Orange County
Long Beach Los Angeles County
Los Angeles Los Angeles County
Oakland Alameda County
Riverside Riverside County
Sacramento Sacramento County
Santa Ana Orange County
San Bernardino San Bernardino County
San Diego San Diego County
San Jose San Francisco County
San Jose Santa Clara County
Santa Clarita Los Angeles County
Stockton San Joaquin County

According to a 2022 study from the U.S. Census Bureau, this state's local governments consist of 57 counties, 482 cities, towns, and villages, and 2,949 special districts.[1]

San Francisco is a consolidated city-county government, exercising powers and responsibilities of both forms of government.


Elections[edit]

Click the links below for information about the elections held in each municipality. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of municipalities that held elections each year in this state; click here to learn more about Ballotpedia's local government coverage scope.

2025[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2025 and School board elections, 2025
  • Fresno, California - City council (special)
  • Irvine, California - City council (special)
  • Oakland, California - Mayor and city council (special)
  • San Jose, California - City council (special)
  • San Diego County, California - County board of supervisors (special)
  • Santa Clara County, California - Assessor (special)
  • All local elections by county
  • California school board elections

2024[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2024 and School board elections, 2024
  • Anaheim, California - City council
  • Bakersfield, California - Mayor and city council
  • Chula Vista, California - City council
  • Fremont, California - Mayor and city council
  • Fresno, California - Mayor and city council
  • Irvine, California - Mayor and city council
  • Long Beach, California - City council
  • Los Angeles, California - City council
  • Oakland, California - City council
  • Riverside, California - Mayor and city council
  • Sacramento, California - Mayor and city council
  • San Bernardino, California - City council
  • San Diego, California - Mayor, city attorney, and city council
  • San Francisco, California - Mayor, city attorney, district attorney, sheriff, treasurer, board of supervisors, community college district, transit district, and superior court judges
  • San Jose, California - Mayor and city council
  • Santa Ana, California - Mayor and city council
  • Santa Clarita, California - City council
  • Stockton, California - Mayor and city council
  • Alameda County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, county board of education, flood district, health care district, park district, sanitary district, transit districts, utility district, water district, and superior court judges
  • Fresno County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, county board of education, irrigation district, public utility district, recreation and park district, veterans memorial district, water district, and superior court judges
  • Kern County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, community services district, county board of education, water district, and superior court judges
  • Los Angeles County, California - District attorney, board of supervisors, community college districts, water districts, and superior court judges
  • Orange County, California - Board of supervisors, community college districts, county board of education, geological hazard abatement district, water districts, and superior court judges
  • Riverside County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, community services district, county board of education, sanitary district, water district, and superior court judges
  • Sacramento County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, county board of education, fire district, flood district, water districts, and superior court judges
  • San Bernardino County, California - Assessor-Recorder-Clerk, board of supervisors, community college districts, county board of education, water districts, and superior court judges
  • San Diego County, California - Board of supervisors, community college districts, county board of education, health care districts, irrigation district, water district, and superior court judges
  • San Joaquin County, California - Board of supervisors, community college district, county board of education, fire district, irrigation district, water district, and superior court judges
  • Santa Clara County, California - Board of supervisors, community college districts, county board of education, geological hazard abatement district, open space authority district, water district, and superior court judges
  • All other local elections by county
  • California school board elections

2023[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2023 and School board elections, 2023
  • Chula Vista, California - City attorney (special)
  • Los Angeles, California - City council (special)
  • San Diego County, California - County board of supervisors (special)
  • Santa Clara County, California - Community college district board (special)

2022[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2022 and School board elections, 2022
  • Anaheim, California - Mayor and city council
  • Bakersfield, California - City council
  • Chula Vista, California - Mayor, city attorney, and city council
  • Fremont, California - City council
  • Fresno, California - City council
  • Irvine, California - Mayor and city council
  • Long Beach, California - Mayor, city attorney, city auditor, city prosecutor, and city council
  • Los Angeles, California - Mayor, city attorney, city controller, and city council
  • Oakland, California - Mayor, city auditor, and city council
  • Sacramento, California - City council
  • San Bernardino, California - Mayor and city council
  • San Diego, California - City council
  • San Francisco, California - Assessor-recorder (regular & special), city attorney (special), district attorney (special), public defender, board of supervisors, community college board, BART director, and superior court judges
  • San Jose, California - Mayor and city council
  • Santa Ana, California - Mayor and city council
  • Santa Clarita, California - City council
  • Stockton, California - City council
  • Alameda County, California - Assessor, auditor/controller, district attorney, sheriff/coroner, treasurer/tax collector, superintendent of schools, board of supervisors, county board of education, Union Sanitary District, flood control board, AC Transit District board of directors, water district board, BART board, park district board, municipal utility district, healthcare district board, community college district boards, and superior court judges
  • Fresno County, California - Assessor-recorder, auditor, controller/treasurer-tax collector, clerk/registrar of voters, district attorney, sheriff coroner public administrator, superintendent of schools, county supervisors, county board of education, community college district board, irrigation district board, recreation district board, memorial district board, water district board, utility district board, and superior court judges
  • Kern County, California - Assessor-recorder, auditor-controller-county clerk, district attorney, sheriff-coroner-public administrator, superintendent of schools, treasurer-tax collector, board of supervisors, county board of education, community college district board, county water agency board, community services district board, and superior court judges
  • Los Angeles County, California - Assessor, sheriff, county supervisor, water district board, water replenishment district board, water agency board, community college districts, and superior court judges
  • Orange County, California - Assessor, auditor-controller, clerk-recorder, district attorney-public administrator, sheriff-coroner, treasurer-tax collector, superintendent of schools, county supervisors, county board of education, community college boards, water district boards, hazard abatement board, and superior court judges
  • Riverside County, California - Assessor-county clerk-recorder, auditor-controller, district attorney, sheriff-coroner-public administrator, superintendent of schools, treasurer-tax collector, board of supervisors, county board of education, community college district board, community services district board, sanitary district board, water district board (regular & special), and superior court judges
  • Sacramento County, California - Assessor, district attorney, sheriff, county board of supervisors, county board of education, water district boards, flood control district board, community college district board, municipal utility district board, fire district board, and superior court judges
  • San Bernardino County, California - Assessor-recorder, auditor-controller/treasurer/tax collector, district attorney, sheriff/coroner/public administrator, superintendent of schools, county supervisors, county board of education, community college district boards, water district board, and superior court judges
  • San Diego County, California - Assessor/recorder/county clerk, district attorney, sheriff, treasurer/tax collector, county board of supervisors, county board of education, community college district board, municipal water district board, healthcare district boards, and superior court judges
  • San Joaquin County, California - Assessor-recorder-clerk, auditor-controller, district attorney, sheriff-coroner-public administrator, superintendent of schools, treasurer-tax collector, county supervisors, community college board, irrigation district, water district board, fire district board, and superior court judges
  • Santa Clara County, California - Assessor, district attorney, sheriff, county supervisors, county board of education, community college district boards, water district board, geologic hazard abatement district board, open space authority board, and superior court judges
  • California school board elections

2021[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2021 and School board elections, 2021
  • Riverside, California - City council
  • Orange County, California - Board of supervisors (special)

2020[edit]

See also: United States municipal elections, 2020 and School board elections, 2020
  • Anaheim, California - City council
  • Bakersfield, California - Mayor, city council
  • Chula Vista, California - City council
  • Fremont, California - Mayor, city council
  • Fresno, California - Mayor, city council
  • Irvine, California - Mayor, city council
  • Long Beach, California - City council
  • Los Angeles, California - City council
  • Oakland, California - City council, city attorney
  • Riverside, California - Mayor
  • Sacramento, California - Mayor, city council
  • San Bernardino, California - City council
  • San Diego, California - Mayor, city council, city attorney
  • San Francisco, California - BART board districts, superior court judgeships, board of education, community college board, board of supervisors
  • San Jose, California - City council
  • Santa Ana, California - Mayor, city council
  • Stockton, California - Mayor, city council
  • Alameda County, California - Supervisors, superior court seats, county board of education, AC Transit District board, Alameda County Flood Control Board/Zone 7 Water Agency, Union Sanitary District board, Alameda County Water District board, Bay Area Regional Transit (BART) board, East Bay Regional Park District board, East Bay Municipal Utility District board, and Washington Township Healthcare District board
  • Fresno County, California - Board of supervisors, judgeships, county board of education, irrigation district board, community college district board, park district board, memorial district board, water district board, and public utility district board
  • Kern County, California - Board of supervisors, county supervisors, superior court judgeships, county board of education, East Niles Community Services District board, Kern Community College District board, and Kern County Water Agency board
  • Los Angeles County, California - County supervisors, district attorney, superior court judges, community college districts, and water districts
  • Orange County, California - Board of supervisors, board of education trustees, superior court judge, community college districts, water districts, and hazard abatement district
  • Riverside County, California - County supervisors, county board of education, superior court judgeships, Riverside Community College District, Western Municipal Water District, and Edgemont Community Services District
  • Sacramento County, California - Board of supervisors, county board of education, superior court judgeships, community college district, municipal utility district, water districts, fire district, and flood control district
  • San Bernardino County, California - Board of supervisors, superior court judgeships, county board of education, water districts, and college districts
  • San Diego County, California - Board of supervisors, county board of education, college districts, irrigation district, water district, healthcare districts, and superior court judges
  • San Joaquin County, California - County supervisors, county board of education, superior court offices, superior court judgeships, community college district, irrigation district, fire protection district, and water district
  • Santa Clara County, California - County board of supervisors, superior court judges, county board of education, community college districts, special districts, and water district
  • California school board elections
Past elections


Initiative process availability[edit]

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

The local units of government in California that make the initiative process available are:

  • All 361 general law cities, which have a state mandated initiative and referendum process for ordinances.
  • All 121 charter cities, which have a state mandated initiative and referendum process for charter amendments.
  • All 44 general law counties, which have a state mandated initiative and referendum process for ordinances.
  • All 14 charter counties, which have a state mandated initiative and referendum process.[2]

See also[edit]

California Municipal government Other local coverage
Seal of California.png
Municipal Government Final.png
Local Politics Image.jpg
  • California
  • California elections, 2025
  • Public policy in California
  • Endorsers in California
  • Top counties
  • 100 largest cities
  • Current mayors
  • Current council officials
  • 2025 municipal elections
  • School board elections, 2025
  • Local ballot measure elections in 2025
  • 2025 local judicial elections

External links[edit]

  • Search Google News for this topic
  • California municipal code library
  • California state government website

Footnotes[edit]

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, "2022 Census of Governments – Organization," accessed October 16, 2023
  2. Ballotpedia, "Types and #'s of local government by state," September 1, 2012

Categories: [California] [Cities] [List of cities by state]


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