Elections

Registration forms are available at the City Clerk Department, located at 1 Civic Center Drive. You can also register online through the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters or the California Secretary of State.

Updating your voter registration

If you have recently moved, changed your name, or wish to update your political party, you need to re-register to vote. The County Registrar of Voters will only recognize your most recent registration. There is no need to cancel your previous registration unless you are moving out of the county.

Voting options

Check your voter registration

The City Clerk serves as the election official and is responsible for the issuance of nomination papers, placing city measures on the ballot and conducting municipal elections in accordance with the City of San Marcos Municipal Code, the Elections Code and the Political Reform Act of 1974. 

The City of San Marcos is a Charter City governed by a five-member City Council consisting of an elected Mayor and four City Council Members. 

• To qualify as a candidate for City Council, an individual must be a registered voter and a resident of the City of San Marcos and the district they want to represent.
• To qualify as a candidate for Mayor, an individual must be a registered voter and a resident of the City of San Marcos (the mayor is elected by voters citywide).
  Terms are four years.
• There is a limit of three consecutive terms for each position

For more information on running for office in San Marcos, please contact the City Clerk's Department at (760) 744-1050, ext. 3105.