With the candidate filing period now closed, Redlands is moving into the next phase of preparations for the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election, when voters in three City Council districts will have an opportunity to select their representatives at City Hall.
The regular candidate filing period ran from July 13 through August 7, 2026, according to the City of Redlands. The election will include City Council seats representing Districts 1, 3 and 5. Redlands' other two council districts are on a different election cycle.
The races are important because Redlands operates under a district-based City Council system. Rather than all voters choosing every council member, residents vote only for candidates seeking to represent the district in which they live. Council members serve four-year terms, and the positions are nonpartisan. Following municipal elections, members of the council select a mayor and mayor pro tempore from among themselves.
Redlands transitioned from at-large to district-based City Council elections following adoption of Ordinance No. 2848 in 2017. District boundaries were later adjusted following the 2020 Census, with the current map adopted by the City Council in March 2022. The process was intended to keep the five districts substantially equal in population while complying with state and federal requirements.
The council members elected this November will help make decisions that reach into nearly every part of daily life in Redlands. The City Council establishes municipal policy, adopts local laws and oversees City activities. It also appoints several key positions, including the City Manager and City Attorney, along with members of City boards and commissions.
That means decisions made at the ballot box can eventually influence priorities involving streets and infrastructure, public safety, parks, development, municipal services and the City's finances.
Running for a council seat also involves more than submitting a name for the ballot. Candidates must be registered voters residing in the district they seek to represent. Nomination petitions require signatures from at least 20 and no more than 30 registered voters within that district. Candidates must also complete required financial disclosure documents.
Campaign finance transparency will continue throughout the election season. The City provides public access to campaign statements through its online disclosure system, while state law requires applicable campaign documents filed with local government agencies to be made available online.
For residents unsure which council district includes their home, the City maintains an interactive district map that allows users to search by address. Districts 1, 3 and 5 are the districts scheduled for election this November.
The City's proposed FY 2027 budget includes $75,000 for the November 2026 elections, specifically identifying the three City Council seats in Districts 1, 3 and 5.
With filing completed, attention now turns toward the candidates, voter information and the decisions Redlands residents will make this fall. Local elections may receive less national attention than races for state or federal office, but their results determine who will sit at the table when decisions are made about the streets residents drive, the neighborhoods they live in and the services they depend upon.
November 3 will therefore be more than another date on the election calendar. For voters in three Redlands districts, it will be an opportunity to determine who will represent their neighborhoods during the next chapter of the city's growth.