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The San Benito County elections office has announced the local races that will be contested in the presidential general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, highlighted by two seats on the Hollister City Council, the mayor of Hollister, two seats on the San Juan Bautista City Council, and the San Juan city clerk and city treasurer posts.

All terms are four years, except the mayor of Hollister post, which has a two-year term. The candidate nomination period runs July 18 through Aug. 16. Forms for declaring candidacy for school board, community college, special district and water district seats will be available at the Elections Department, 440 Fifth St., Room 206 in Hollister. 

Nomination forms for city offices will be available at the respective city clerks’ offices:

  • City of Hollister, 375 Fifth St.
  • City of San Juan Bautista, 311 Second St.

Declaration of candidacy and/or nomination papers and all other required papers must be filed at the above specified addresses no later than 5 p.m. on Aug. 12. The deadline will be extended for any candidate — except the incumbent — by five calendar days only if the incumbent fails to file for re-election by the close of the regular nomination period.

There are a number of open seats for local school and community college districts, as detailed below (all terms are four years, unless specified otherwise):

  • Aromas-San Juan School Unified District (3 seats)
  • Bitterwater-Tully Union School District (2 four-year seats; 1 two-year seat)
  • Cienega Union School District (2 four-year seats; 1 two-year seat)
  • Hollister School District (2 seats)
  • North County Joint Union School District (3 seats)
  • Panoche School District (1 seat)
  • Southside School District (2 seats)
  • Tres Pinos School District (2 seats)
  • Willow Grove Union District (3 seats)
  • San Benito High School District (2 seats)
  • Coalinga-Huron Unified School District (2 seats)
  • Cabrillo Community College (1 seat)
  • Gavilan Joint Community College (1 seat)

Special districts with open seats:

  • Aromas Tri-County Fire Protection District (2 seats)
  • San Benito Health Care District (3 seats)

Water districts:

  • Aromas County Water District (2 seats)
  • Pacheco Pass Water District (3 four-year seats; 2 two-year seats)
  • Sunnyslope County Water District (2 seats)
  • Tres Pinos Water District (3 seats)
  • San Benito County Water District (3 seats)
  • Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (1 seat)

Key election dates and deadlines

  • Aug. 12 Last day to submit resolutions for measures
  • Aug. 16 Last day to file rebuttal arguments
  • Aug. 23 Last day to file arguments, impartial analyses and tax rate statements
  • Oct. 11 to Nov. 1 Vote-by-mail voting
  • Oct. 11 to Nov. 8 Office voting
  • Oct. 24 Last day to register to vote
  • Nov. 5-6 Weekend voting (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
  • Nov. 8 Election Day (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

For more information on elections, visit the registrar of voters’ website by clicking here.