Elections

The City of Hollister is a General Law City with a Council-City Manager form of government. City voters elect four (4) council members by district and the Mayor at-large. Regular elections are held on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November of even-numbered years. Special elections may be called by the City Council and are held on dates as set forth in the California Elections Code. Two (2) council member seats are to be voted on every two (2) years. The City Treasurer is elected every four (4) years. 

The City Clerk conducts regular and special elections, including processing and certifying citizen-generated petitions. The City Clerk, as the Elections Official, is also the point of contact for keeping candidates, the public, and staff informed during the election process.

Office: Hollister City Hall, 375 Fifth Street, Hollister, CA 95023
Phone:  831.636.4300, Option 5
Email: coh.cityclerk@hollister.ca.gov

On this page you will find information on the following subjects:
• November 3, 2026 Election (including resources and timeline, candidates on the ballot, and the City of Hollister’s local ballot measures)
• Campaign Finance
• Voter Registration

Upcoming Election

Election Day is almost upon us! Please see helpful resources and timeline below:

Resources

• Register to vote
• Re-register to vote if you have moved, changed your name, or wish to change your party preference
• Check your voter registration status
• Sign up to be a poll worker

July 13

• Nomination period opens for the following City Council seats: Mayor, District 2, and District 3. The nomination period also opens for the City Treasurer position.

August 7

• Nomination period closes for City Council seats and Treasurer unless an incumbent for a seat does not pull papers to run for reelection.

August 12

• Nomination period closes only for seats where an incumbent has not pulled papers to run for reelection.

October 19

• Last day to register to vote

November 3 - ELECTION DAY

• Polls and ballot drop boxes open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Early December

• Swearing-in of elected Councilmembers and Mayor (after San Benito County Elections has completed the canvass and certified election results). 

Notice of Extended Candidate Filing Period

The candidate nomination period for the offices of Mayor and City Council District 2 has been extended because the incumbents did not file nomination papers by the close of the regular filing period.

The extended filing period is now open and will close at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

Individuals interested in running for either office can pull nomination papers at the City Clerk’s Office at 375 5th Street, Hollister, CA 95023, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and submit their paperwork no later than August 12, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

Notice of Nomination Papers Issued

The following offices shall be filled at the November 3, 2026 General Election:
-Member of the City Council, Mayor
-Member of the City Council, District 2
-Member of the City Council, District 3
-City Treasurer

As of August 4, 2026, the City Clerk has issued nomination papers to the incumbents for the offices of:
-District 3 
-Treasurer

Incumbents have not pulled papers for the offices of:
-Mayor
-District 2

Redistricting has not affected the eligibility of the current incumbents to run for the open offices 

Nomination papers may be obtained at the City Clerk’s Office at 375 5th Street, Hollister, CA 95023.

Nomination papers may be filed at the City Clerk’s Office at 375 5th Street, Hollister, CA 95023 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. no later than August 7, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.

OFFICIALS ON THE BALLOT

On November 3, 2026, the voters of the City of Hollister will elect:

• one Mayor on an at-large basis for a term of 2 years
• one Councilmember representing District 2 for a term of 4 years
• one Councilmember representing District 3, for a term of 4 years
• one Treasurer on an at-large basis for a term of 4 years

CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT

The period for filing nomination papers for the following seat will open on July 13, 2026:

• Mayor
• Council Member, District 2
• Council Member, District 3
• City Treasurer

The following individuals have pulled papers and/or submitted an FPPC Form 501 Candidate Statement of Intent for the November 3, 2026 Election (information will be added once the nomination period opens):

MAYOR

COUNCILMEMBER, DISTRICT 2

COUNCILMEMBER, DISTRICT 3

TREASURER

The following individuals have qualified for the ballot for the November 3, 2026 Election:

MAYOR
-Tim Burns
-Tina Garza
-Scott McPhail

COUNCILMEMBER, DISTRICT 2
-Brian Chavez
- Frida Benjamin

COUNCILMEMBER, DISTRICT 3
-William B. Avera
-Dolores Morales

TREASURER
-Jonathan Casey
-Gordon Machado

 Run for Office
Who can run for Elective Office?

• To run for office, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident and registered voter within the City limits, and at least 18 years old.
• For a Citywide office (Mayor or Treasurer), you must be a registered voter within the City limits at the time nomination papers are issued and throughout the term of office.
• For a City Council District Office, you must be a registered voter within the district you want to serve at the time nomination papers are issued and throughout the term of office.

You may look up your district on our District Map.

Potential candidates are required to gather twenty valid signatures of registered City of Hollister voters on a mandatory nomination form supplied by the City Clerk.  

Based on an established schedule, candidates must file statements reporting all campaign contributions and expenditures for the designated time period. These reports are available online and in the City Clerk’s Office for public review. 

Terms

In the City of Hollister, the Mayor is elected at-large to serve a 2-year term. City Council members are elected by district to serve 4-year terms. The City Treasurer is elected at- large to serve a 4-year term.

Resources

• Register to vote or Re-register to vote if you have moved, changed your name, or wish to change your party preference.
• Check your voter registration status
• San Benito County Registrar of Voters

LINK TO NETFILE CURRENT FILINGS:

• Search for Statement of Economic Interests (SEI) 700 Forms
• Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure

 LINK TO FPPC CANDIDATE INFORMATION:  http://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/campaign-rules.html

 CAMPAIGN SIGNS

 The City’s Municipal Code, through its zoning regulations, regulates the placement of signs in the City, including political signs.  These regulations prohibit the placement of signs on public property as well as within the City's public right-of-way.  City rights-of-way are generally defined as being the actual street itself, as well as the area between the curb and gutter and the back of the sidewalk.  As a rule of thumb, the street right-of-way line is ten feet back behind the curb.  The City’s regulations also prohibit the placement of any type of sign on utility poles, traffic signs, and posts in City rights-of-way.