General Municipal Elections are held in November of even numbered years. The elective officers of the City consist of the City Council made up of seven Councilmembers who are elected in a non-partisan election and serve "at large" representing the entire community, rather than a particular district. Councilmembers are elected to four-year overlapping terms. Each Councilmember may serve a maximum of two consecutive full terms.
Anyone who is 18 years of age and who is a resident and registered voter in the City of Mountain View may run for a seat on the City Council.
The nomination period opens in early July and closes in early August. If nomination papers for an incumbent elective officer are not filed by the filing deadline, the nomination period is extended for five (5) days. Nomination and other related papers to run for City Council may be obtained from the City Clerk during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Potential candidates are required to gather twenty (20) valid signatures of registered Mountain View voters on a required nomination form furnished only by the City Clerk. Candidates who wish to have a statement of their qualifications printed in the sample ballot, which is mailed to all registered voters, must pay a portion or the entire translation and printing costs. If a candidate chooses not to have his/her statement printed, only the candidate's name and ballot designation will appear in the sample ballot.
Based on an established schedule, candidates must file statements disclosing their income and assets and statements disclosing campaign contributions and expenditures for the designated time period. Candidates must also comply with the City of Mountain View's Campaign Finance and Voluntary Expenditure Program Limit Ordinance No. 4.06 and the requirements are specified below.
Disclosure forms that must be filed by candidates early in their campaigns are listed below. Forms are available online via the Fair Political Practices Commission's (FPPC) web site.
Fair Political Practices Forms
Candidates Who DO NOT Anticipate Spending or Receiving OVER $1,000
| WHAT: | Form 470 (Officeholder and Candidate Campaign Statement-Short Form)This form may be used when a candidate does not have a controlled committee and does not anticipate raising or spending $1,000 or more (excluding ballot statement fees) in a calendar year. |
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| WHEN: | Must be filed no later than the deadline for the first required campaign disclosure statement. (May be filed earlier.) |
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| WHERE: | File the original and one copy with the City Clerk. |
Candidates Who DO Anticipate Spending or Receiving OVER $1,000
| WHAT: | Form 501 (Candidate Intention Statement) |
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| WHEN: | Form 501 must be filed prior to the solicitation or receipt of any contribution or the expenditure of any personal funds used for campaign purposes (excluding ballot statement fees). |
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| WHERE: | File the original and one copy with the City Clerk. |
| WHAT: | Form 410 (Statement of Organization Recipient Committee) |
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| WHEN: | Must be filed within 10 days of receiving $1,000 in contributions. (May be filed earlier.) After Form 410 is filed, you will receive notification from the Secretary of State's Office of the identification number assigned to your campaign committee. |
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| WHERE: | File the original and one copy with the Secretary of State, and one copy with the City Clerk. |
| WHAT: | Form 460 (Recipient Committee Campaign Statement) This form is used by a candidate who has a controlled committee, or has raised or spent or will raise or spend $1,000 or more during a calendar year. |
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| WHEN: | Must be filed according to applicable filing schedules. |
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| WHERE: | File the original and one copy with the City Clerk. |
Campaign Finance and Voluntary Expenditure Limit Program
On April 25, 2006, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 4-06 Amending Chapter 2, Article XII, Relating to Campaign Finance and the Voluntary Expenditure Limit Program. This ordinance incorporates the provisions of the resolution which sets forth the Voluntary Expenditure Limit (VEL) Program. The ordinance provides as follows:
- That all candidates, officeholders and committees participating in local elections for City Council who file campaign disclosure reports under the Political Reform Act shall also file such reports with the City Clerk.
- That noncandidate groups, individuals and committees that participate in the City Council elections and are required to file campaign disclosure reports pursuant to State law shall also file such forms with the City Clerk
- That campaign contribution disclosure threshold is set at $100.
- That a cut-off date of seven (7) days prior to the election is established for candidates to accept contributions, or 5:00 p.m. the Tuesday before the election. Candidate or Councilmember-elect can accept contributions beginning the Wednesday after the election.
- That the filing of a Third Preelection Statement is required five (5) days prior to the election, or 5:00 p.m. the Thursday before the election.
- That campaign disclosure reports submitted by each candidate or committee be posted on the City's web site within five (5) business days from the date of receipt of the reports.
- That a voluntary expenditure limit for each candidate for each election to City elective office was established in 2000 in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) in year 2000 dollars and provides an automatic adjustment of the expenditure ceiling at the rate of 3 percent per year to keep pace with the changes in the cost of living. Therefore, the voluntary expenditure limit for the November 4, 2008 election is increased to $19,002. Each candidate is required to file, at the time of filing his/her nomination papers, a statement of acceptance or rejection of the voluntary expenditure ceiling.
- That the cost of the candidate statement, whether paid by the candidate or the City, and contributions returned by the candidate within 30 days of receipt do not count toward the VEL.
- That candidates who file a statement of acceptance of the VEL and pay the first $500 for the cost of publishing the candidate statement in the voter's pamphlet will be eligible to have the City pay for the balance of the cost of the candidate statement subject to certain limitations
- That a penalty for violation of the VEL is established which requires the posting of a notice of violation on the City's web site and at the official posting board at City Hall and the publishing of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation.
- That a repayment to the City of the costs of the candidate's statement is required if a candidate exceeds the VEL. Repayment is due within 30 days of exceeding the limit.
- Partial Repayment candidate repays the City 25% of the amount the City paid toward the candidate statement if he/she exceeds the VEL by no more than five hundred ($500).
- Full Repayment candidate repays the City the entire amount of the city contribution if he/she exceeds the VEL by more than five hundred ($500).
- That a method of collection is established directing the City Auditor to deduct any delinquent amounts on a month-to-month basis until paid in full from any Councilmember-elect's City paycheck, and directing the City Clerk to not accept nomination papers for future election until any delinquency from a prior election is paid in full, including interest.
