Municipal Election

    Tuesday, November 3, 2026 - General Municipal Election 

    NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the General Municipal Election will be held in the City of Bell Gardens on November 3, 2026 for the following Officers:

    Three (3) Members of the City Council (Full Term of Four Years)

    and

    Ballot Measure question: 
    Shall the measure permitting the City of Bell Gardens to sell the Bell Gardens Municipal Water System to the Golden State Water Company be adopted? 

    Election Information

    Candidate Statements Review Period

    Important Election Dates

    July 13 - August 6, 2026, 5:00 p.m. - Nomination Period 

    August 10 - August 12, 2026, 5:00 p.m. - Nomination Extension Period (If incumbent does not file)

    August 6, 2026, 5:00 p.m. - Last Day for Candidate Withdrawal

    August 7 - August 16, 2026 - Public Examination Period

    August 13 - August 22, 2026 - Candidates Filing During Extended Period

    August 13, 2026 - Random Alphabet Drawing & Last day to File Argument with City Clerk

    October 5, 2026 - Mailing of Vote-by-Mail Ballots

    October 19, 2026 - Last Day to Register to Vote

    October 20, 2026 - Vote Centers Open (In-Person voting begins) 

    November 3, 2024 - Election Day 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

    November 27, 2026 - Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will provide Certification of Election Results

    December 14, 2026 - Council Member Swearing-In and Reorganization

     
    How You Can Get Involved

    Stay Informed: Check the website for updates

    Review the Measure: Read the official materials 

    Check Your Registration: Make sure your ready to vote. 

    Important Links

    Public Portal for Fair Political Practice’s Commission (FPPC) Disclosure Filings

    Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk

    Bell Gardens Municipal Code (BGMC)

    Fair Political Practices Commission

    Role of an Election Official

    Prohibition of Electioneering and Corruption of the Voting Process

    November 3, 2026 Election FAQ

    Q: When is the next local election?

    A: The next scheduled election in the City of Bell Gardens is the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election.

    Q: What local offices are up for election at the November 3, 2026 election?

    A: Three (3) Members of the City Council (Full term of four years).

    Q: How can I run for office during the November 3, 2026 election?

    A: Becoming a candidate for local office requires many steps, which are prescribed by local and state law and follow a specified timeline and sequence. Individuals who are interested in learning more about running for local office are encouraged to review the Candidate Toolkit provided by the Fair Political Practices Commission and should also review information on the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk website. More information about the administration can also be found in the Bell Gardens Municipal Code.

    Q: Can I run for more than one seat?

    A: No, candidates shall not file nomination papers for more than one municipal office or term of office for the same municipality in the same election.

    Q: Will the positions of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem also be up for election in 2026?

    A: No, City Council candidates who run for election in November 2026 will not be running for Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem, as those are not elected positions. Pursuant to BGMC 2.04.020, the Mayor and Mayor are each selected by the City Council at either: (1) the first regular meeting in December in odd-numbered years; (2) at the time designated by applicable provisions of the Government Code for even-numbered years; or (3) at such other time as a majority of the council shall so order. The current Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem’s terms will expire annually in December, and at that time, the next Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem will be selected by the City Council.

    Q: Does the City of Bell Gardens have local campaign finance limits?

    A: Yes, the City of Bell Gardens aligns with the FPPC contribution limits. You can view the contribution limits on the FPPC’s website at https://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/campaign-rules/state-contribution-limits.html.   

    Q: When will more information about the November 3, 2026 election be available?

    A: Election information is added to this page as more election-related tasks get underway, typically beginning in June/July of the election year. 

    Public Official Expectations

    Becoming an applicant for public office means that information about you will become a matter of public record immediately. This includes any and all documents submitted to the City during the course of the application period. As such, these documents must, by law, be available to the public for inspection and/or copying. In addition, California Government Code Section 87200 notes that members of the City Council are subject to the State's financial disclosure laws, Fair Political Practices Commission regulations and will be required to disclose their economic interests upon appointment to this office. For more information, visit https://www.fppc.ca.gov/the-law/fppc-regulations.html.

    Role of the City Council 

    The City Council is the governing body of the City of Bell Gardens. As the legislative branch of our local government, the City Council makes final decisions on all major City matters and sets City-wide priorities and policies.

    The City of Bell Gardens is a municipal corporation following the Council-Manager form of government. The City Council appoints the City Manager, as well as the members of the City's advisory boards, commissions, and committees. The City Council defines the policy direction of the City and directs the City Manager to implement these priorities and policies.

    The City Council adopts ordinances and resolutions necessary for efficient governmental operations and approves the budget. The City Council is responsible for the scope, direction, and financing of City services; establishing policy based on information provided by staff, advisory boards and commissions, and the public; and implementing policy through staff under the Council-Manager form of government.

    City Council Composition 

    The City Council consists of five (5) City Councilmembers. Each Councilmember represents the City at-large, on a four-year term and may serve no more than twelve (12) years, or three four-year terms.  Any person who, either by appointment or election, serves a partial term of office as a member of the city council for any portion of a term, shall be deemed to have served a full four-year term.

    Meeting Dates and Times

    Meetings of the City Council are regularly held on the second and fourth Monday of each month, and special meetings may be called as needed. The City Council also has multiple committees on which Councilmembers serve and the applicant selected must be available to actively participate as a Council liaison to numerous external regional committees as assigned (list available here), in addition to their attendance at regular City Council meetings. 

    Please see the City of Bell Garden’s Calendar page to view the current schedule of events and meetings. To view agendas, minutes, archived meetings and watch live-streamed meetings in progress, please visit https://www.bellgardens.org/i-want-to/view-agendas.

    Compensation and Benefits

    Members of the City Council receive a stipend of $589.64 per month and eligible benefits.

    Voter Registration

    You may check your voter registration status by visiting the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk website at https://www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections/voter-registration/register-to-vote/register.

    You may register to vote by visiting the California Secretary of State website at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

    Contact and Questions

    For specific Municipal Election questions, please contact (562) 806-7705 or by email at dgomez@bellgardens.org. For all other questions, please contact the City Clerk's office at (562) 806-7704 or by email at cityclerkdesk@bellgardens.org.