Ten seats on city councils and school boards in Burlingame and Hillsborough are open for candidates to file through Friday, August 7, ahead of the Tuesday, November 3, general election.
The filing period opened Monday, July 13, at 8 a.m., according to Mark Church, San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer and Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder. All seats will appear on the November 3 ballot.
The following local offices are on the ballot:
Burlingame City Council — three seats representing District 1, District 3, and District 5.
Hillsborough Town Council — two seats, each carrying a four-year term beginning in December 2026. Candidates must be Hillsborough residents and registered voters at the time nomination papers are issued, according to the town's weekly bulletin.
Burlingame School District — two governing board seats in Trustee Area 1 and Trustee Area 4. The district's Board of Trustees adopted a resolution on Monday, July 13, formally calling for the election.
Hillsborough City School District — three governing board seats, per the county's ballot list. Prospective candidates can contact County Candidate Services for details on term lengths and eligibility requirements.
How to file
The process depends on the office. Candidates for school district and special district seats must contact San Mateo County Candidate Services to schedule an appointment and obtain nomination papers. The office can be reached at [email protected] or by calling or texting (650) 312-5222.
Candidates for city offices file with their local City Clerk. For the Hillsborough Town Council race, prospective candidates can contact City Clerk Lisa Natusch at (650) 375-7421 or [email protected] to schedule an appointment. Burlingame City Council candidates should contact the Burlingame City Clerk's office for appointment details.
The deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, August 7. If an eligible incumbent does not file for re-election by that deadline, the filing period for that specific office extends five additional calendar days, closing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12.
County Candidate Services staff are available to walk prospective candidates through required forms, eligibility requirements, and filing deadlines, according to the county elections office.
Key dates
- Monday, July 13 — Filing period opened (8 a.m.)
- Friday, August 7 — Filing deadline (5 p.m.)
- Wednesday, August 12 — Extended deadline if an incumbent doesn't file (5 p.m.)
- Tuesday, November 3 — General election day
