Candidate Resources

Who can run for Elective Office?

Any member of the public who meets the requirements below may run for public office in the City of Morgan Hill. Candidates must:

  • Be at least eighteen years of age
  • Be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State of California
  • Be a registered voter and a resident within the district the candidate seeks to represent. The Mayor and City Treasurer are elected at-large, as such candidates must be a resident within the City of Morgan Hill. Address and Voter registration will be verified before the issuance of nomination papers.

Candidate Forms

Candidates must obtain and complete the official nomination documents that are issued by the Office of the City Clerk. This is done during the official nomination period (July - August of an election year). For a Special Election, the nomination period will vary depending on the date of the Special Election. Please contact the Office of the City Clerk for more information. Nomination forms are issued at no charge.

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for City holidays. To schedule an appointment, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at (408) 779-7259. A candidate should be prepared to provide their name and residential address for validation of current voter registration and eligibility status. Prospective candidates are encouraged to review the Candidate Instructional Guide prior to their scheduled appointment.

Candidate Instructional Guide

The nomination instructions are fully contained in the Candidate Instructional Guide (PDF)(Please note this guide will be updated prior to each election). This information is provided to assist candidates in understanding the requirements necessary to run for municipal office. The manual is provided as a guide and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional services. Samples in this manual are not official forms and are provided for illustrative purposes only. Official forms are available only from the City Clerk. 

The filing schedule for financial reporting requirements associated with the November 3, 2020, Election can be found in the candidate instructional guide.  

The Mayor is elected at-large to serve a 2-year term. The City Council members are elected by district to serve a 4-year term. The Treasurer is elected at-large to serve a 4-year term. There are no limits to the number of terms a person may serve. The City Council terms are staggered so that half of the City Council seats expire at a time.