Election Information

Qualifications

  • Candidate must have been a registered voter in the City for thirty (30) days prior to filing nomination papers (Modesto Charter Section 701). 
  • The Mayor is elected at-large.
  • A candidate for, and councilmember of, each district must live in that district to be eligible to run for or hold the office of councilmember for that district.  (Modesto Charter Section 501(b).
  • Must live in the City of Modesto.

Mayoral Election Date

Beginning in 2024, the City will start holding Mayoral Primary Elections as a result of the voter approved City Charter amendments (Measure G) in the 2022 election.

  • March 5, 2024 is Primary Election Day.
  • If any candidate for Mayor receives the majority of votes cast for that office in the Primary, that candidate is declared elected and will assume office after the first Tuesday following the election of members of the Council in November.
  • If no candidate for Mayor receives the majority of votes cast for that office in the Primary, the two candidates who received the highest number of votes shall move forward to the November Regular Municipal Election for a run-off.
  • The Primary Election will be held for the election of Mayoral candidates only.

Mayoral Election Nomination Period

The filing period for the 2024 Mayoral Election to pull nomination papers is Monday, November 13 through Friday, December 8, 2023. 

Please email the City Clerk or call 209-577-5396 for an appointment. Nomination packets are only issued during the official nomination period.

Regular Municipal Election Date

The next regularly scheduled municipal election is November 5, 2024, for the offices of Council District 1, Council District 3, and Council District 6. The filing period for the November 2024 Regular Municipal Election will be posted here in early 2024.

General Information

Modesto has a Council-Manager form of government. Voters elect the City Council to serve as the policy-making board of the City. The Council, in turn, appoints a City Manager to administer these policies.

The Modesto City Council has seven members, including the Mayor, elected at-large on a nonpartisan basis for four-year terms. Their terms of office expire in alternate odd numbered years. The City Council serves as a legislative body, enacting ordinances, orders and resolutions necessary for governing Modesto as outlined in the City Charter and deemed important by the public.

In addition to their representation of the citizens of Modesto and their vote at City Council meetings, Council members are appointed to various sub-committees and given other assignments by the Mayor during their terms in office.

The Modesto City Council holds regular meetings at 5:30 p.m. on the first, second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The Council generally does not meet on the fifth Tuesday of a month. Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or a majority of the Council members.

The Mayor is paid $3,600 per month, and the six (6) other Council members are paid $2,000 per month. Council members are also reimbursed for expenses. 

Measure M, passed by Modesto voters on February 5, 2008, revised several sections of the City’s Charter regarding the duties of the Mayor as well as the election of the Mayor and the Council members. Changes included moving from election-at-large to district election of the six Council members with the Mayor position continuing with the election-at-large process. Revised Charter Sections were: 601, 703, 800, 801, 900, 903, 1201, 1303 and 1304; added Charter Sections included 725, 902.1, 1302.1 and 1302.2; Charter Section 1302 was revoked. See Municipal Code online for full text of the Modesto Charter.