How to Run for Office

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

Eligibility and Candidacy

To be eligible to run for City Council, you must be a registered voter of Livermore at the time nomination papers are issued. Registered voters in Livermore must be U.S. Citizens, age 18 or older, a resident of the City of Livermore, and neither in prison nor on parole for a felony conviction. Per Government Code Section 34883, registered voters must be residents of the district from which the candidate is to be elected.

The voter registration deadline is 15 days before an election:

You may register to vote at the California Secretary of State website
Voter registration information is also available through the Alameda County Registrar of Voters website
California Voter Registration
The City Clerk’s Office provides voter registration forms during regular office hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Livermore City Hall, 1052 S. Livermore Ave., Livermore, CA, 94550.

Getting Started

The following steps will give you an overview of how to get started on becoming a candidate for the City of Livermore City Council. Contact the Livermore City Clerk via email or telephone, at cityclerk@livermoreca.gov or 925-960-4200, with questions.

Review the Fair and Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Campaign Disclosure Manual 2. This manual provides information on campaign disclosure rules as required under the Political Reform Act. The FPPC provides advice by phone at 1-866-275-3772 or by email at advice@fppc.ca.gov.
File FPPC Form 501 - Candidate Intention Statement before you solicit or receive any contributions or before you make expenditures from personal funds on behalf of your candidacy. The Form 501 can be found in the forms library of the FPPC website. Submit an original wet signed form to the City Clerk's Office.
Upon submittal of the Form 501, the City Clerk’s office will provide access to the City’s electronic filing system, Netfile, at cityclerk@livermoreca.gov to begin filing the necessary campaign disclosure forms.
File FPPC Form 410 – Statement of Organization with the Secretary of State, along with a filing fee of $50.00, made payable to the Secretary of State, within 10 days of receiving $2,000 in contributions. File a copy of Form 410 with the City Clerk. Form 410 can be found in the forms library of the FPPC website, and Campaign Disclosure Manual 2 gives details on how to complete Form 410.
Review the FPPC checklist.

Qualifications for Office

A person must be a registered voter of the City of Livermore and have resided continuously in Livermore for at least thirty days immediately preceding the appointment or final filing date for nomination papers.

Nomination Period

The nomination period is when individuals officially receive, circulate and file nomination papers for candidacy. The nomination period for candidates for the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election is July 13, 2026, through August 7, 2026. The extended nomination period closes at 5 p.m. on August 12, 2026, if an eligible incumbent does not file.

To schedule an appointment please email the City Clerk's Office at cityclerk@livermoreca.gov or call 925-960-4200.