Elections

Poway is a General Law city governed by a 5-member City Council. A Mayor and four members of the City Council are elected to serve 4-year terms. In 2020, the City completed the transition to by-district elections for the four City Council seats. The Mayor continues to be elected on a citywide basis. Poway consolidates its General Municipal Elections with the Statewide General Elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. View Council Districts Map

The City Clerk is the Elections Official and is responsible for coordinating the Election with San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office, as well as distributing nomination papers, processing ballot measures and petitions, and maintaining all campaign statements and conflict of interest filings required by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

General Qualifications

Candidates must be all of the following:

  • A U.S. Citizen
  • At least eighteen (18) years of age on or before Election day
  • A resident and registered voter in the City of Poway (If running for City Council District 1 or District 3, you must reside within that district)

District Elections

The City initiated a transition to by-district elections for the four City Council seats in 2017 and fully transitioned to by-district elections beginning with the November 2020 General Election. Following the 2020 Census, the City followed the State required process to re-evaluate the four City Council districts to ensure the districts comply with all state and federal requirements. On February 1, 2022, the City Council unanimously adopted a new district map (PDF) that maintains the previously adopted City Council district boundaries. You can find the District you live in here.

For the most up-to-date information, please contact the Poway City Clerk’s Office by phone (858) 668-4530 or via email cityclerk@poway.org.

Candidate Fees

There are no City of Poway filling fees, however, candidates who choose to have their "Candidate Statement of Qualifications" printed in the sample ballot issued by the County Registrar of Voters must bear the actual cost of printing and distribution. Candidates who opt for this printing are required to pay the fee when the nomination paper and forms are filed with the Poway City Clerk.

Political Sign Regulations

Campaign Finance Regulations

Effective January 1, 2021, all campaign statements filed in the City Clerk's Office will be made available online. Click here to search Campaign Finance Statements filed on or after January 1, 2021. For all other statements, please contact the City Clerk's Office via email cityclerk@poway.org or by phone (858) 668-4530.

Additional Information