Santa Ana Expands Candidate Disclosure Rules Before November Elections

The Santa Ana City Clerk implemented revised candidate filing requirements on July 1 that mandate expanded financial and background disclosures for all individuals running for mayor or city council. These rules apply directly to the six council districts and the mayoral race scheduled for November.

Local elections determine who sets budgets for police staffing levels, street repairs on Fourth Street, and allocations for parks in neighborhoods such as Delhi and Logan. The new filings cover sources of campaign contributions above $100 and prior government employment records.

Access for Santa Ana households

Residents can now review candidate documents through the city website without traveling to City Hall. This change reaches households where work schedules or transportation limit attendance at evening forums held at the Main Library branch. Parents checking school bond measures will see candidate positions on related tax questions listed alongside the filings.

The ordinance also directs the clerk to mail one-page summaries to every registered voter address in Santa Ana. These summaries list contribution totals and any reported conflicts of interest declared by each candidate. City records show 142,000 registered voters received similar mailers in the 2022 cycle.

Next steps in the process

Candidates must submit the additional forms by August 15. The clerk will post all documents within five business days of receipt. Public review periods run through September, allowing residents to submit written questions that candidates may address at the three scheduled candidate forums.

City staff will track compliance through the same system used for the 2024 county coordinated election. Any candidate who misses the deadline receives an automatic notice and a 72-hour correction window before the names appear on the ballot.