Candidate Nomination Period opens July 13 for November General Municipal Election 

Four seats on the Ventura City Council are up for grabs this fall, and the clock is now running for anyone who wants a shot at one of them. The City of San Buenaventura — Ventura's formal name — launched its candidate nomination period on Monday, July 13, 2026, giving aspiring public servants a roughly four-week window to pull papers and get their campaigns off the ground, as Vida Newspaper first reported.

For residents across the 805 region — including those in neighboring Oxnard who work, do business, or recreate in Ventura — the election will shape policy on issues that spill across city lines, from coastal access and housing supply to infrastructure and regional transportation.

Which Seats Are on the Ballot

According to the City of Ventura's official Elections page, the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election will fill City Council seats representing Districts 1, 4, 5, and 6. That's four of the seven council seats in the city, making this one of the more consequential local election cycles in the region.

Ventura's district-based election system has been in place since 2018, when the city transitioned from at-large voting. Under that structure, council members serve four-year terms, with terms staggered on a two-year cycle — three seats elected in one election, four in the next. This year's election falls in the "four seats" cycle, meaning a majority of the council will be decided in a single night.

The city's mayor is selected from among council members and serves a two-year term, so whoever wins in November will also have a hand in shaping leadership at the dais.

Key Dates and the Filing Process

The nomination window opened July 13 and runs through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2026, according to edhat Ventura and the city's primary source materials. That's fewer than four weeks — a tight turnaround for candidates who haven't yet started preparing.

One important procedural wrinkle: City Hall operates on an alternating Friday schedule and is regularly closed every other Friday. August 7 — the final day of the nomination period — is one of those Fridays. The City Clerk's Office will be open that day, but by appointment only. Officials are urging prospective candidates not to wait until the last moment.

There is a safety-valve provision: if an eligible incumbent in any of the four districts fails to file nomination papers before the August 7 deadline, the filing period for that district alone extends by five calendar days, through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. That extension, however, is available only to candidates other than the incumbent.

To pick up nomination papers, candidates must schedule a one-hour appointment with the City Clerk's Office by calling 805-658-4787 or emailing [email protected]. Walk-ins are not accepted.

Who Can Run — and What's Required

Eligibility requirements are straightforward under California law and the San Buenaventura Municipal Code. A prospective candidate must be a city resident, a registered voter, and eligible to vote in the specific council district they seek to represent, the city's Elections page confirms. Residency in the district is required at the time nomination papers are issued — not just by Election Day.

Candidates also face campaign finance obligations from the moment they decide to run. Before soliciting or spending a single dollar on the campaign, individuals must file FPPC Form 501 (Candidate Intention Statement) with the City Clerk. During the nomination period itself, candidates must complete a Voluntary Ceiling Expenditure Form. The city council approved the 2026 expenditure and contribution limit amounts back on December 9, 2025, according to the city's official elections portal.

City council races in California are nonpartisan — candidates run without party affiliation, and the person with the most votes wins, even without a majority.

Candidate Information Session

For anyone on the fence about running, the City Clerk's Office hosted a Candidate Information Session on the evening of July 13 — the same day the nomination period opened — at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The session covered the nomination process, required filing documents, key election deadlines, and campaign finance requirements, Vida Newspaper reported.

Attendance was not required but strongly encouraged. For those who missed it, the city's elections webpage at cityofventura.ca.gov/elections hosts district maps, eligibility details, and campaign finance resources.

"Strong communities begin with people who are willing to step forward and serve," Ventura City Clerk Michael MacDonald said in a statement released alongside the announcement. "Every election is an opportunity for residents to shape the future of San Buenaventura."

What Comes Next for the 805

Once the nomination period closes in early August, the City Clerk's office will certify the candidate list and the campaign season begins in earnest ahead of the November 3 election date. Newly elected council members traditionally assume their seats in December after the election is certified, at which point the council also reorganizes and selects a new mayor.

For Oxnard residents and others across Ventura County, the results will matter. Ventura sits immediately to Oxnard's southeast, and decisions made at Ventura City Hall — on coastal development, regional housing policy, and shared transportation corridors like Highway 101 — routinely affect the broader south county community. With four of seven seats in play, the November election could meaningfully shift the council's policy priorities heading into 2027 and beyond.

The complete election timeline, district maps, and campaign finance forms are available on the City of Ventura's elections webpage at cityofventura.ca.gov/elections.