Prospective Candidates

Information on Running for Elective Offices

Nomination Period

The nomination period for prospective candidates to get on the ballot for this election is from July 18 to August 12, 2022 (or to August 17, 2022, for seats that an incumbent of the seat does not file nomination documents by the close of the August 12 deadline). For write-in candidates, the nomination period is September 12 through October 25, 2022.

To make an in-person appointment to be issued or to submit nomination papers, please call the City Clerk's Office at (909) 625-9416 or email cityclerk@cityofmontclair.org. Appointments must be requested at least one business day in advance (based on the City's business hours; e.g. Monday appointments can be requested on the prior Thursday).

Several measures have been put in place since the beginning of the pandemic to ensure the safety of staff and the public when doing in-person business. All individuals inside City Hall are requested to wear a face covering at all times and maintain a distance of at least six feet from others when not separated by a physical barrier.The City Clerk's desk has been furnished with a plexiglass divider with a small opening for passing documents, and the desk and seating area will be disinfected before and after each appointment. Hand sanitizer is available in the lobby and in the City Clerk's Office. Please bring your own pen for filling out and signing documents.

If you are feeling sick or running a temperature on the day of your appointment or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days, please do not show up to your appointment and instead call (909) 625-9416 to reschedule or request a remote appointment over Zoom or via telephone. Nomination documents can be issued to you by the City Clerk via email, and the nomination paper can be mailed to you via U.S. Mail.

City Clerk's Issuance of Nomination Documents to Prospective Candidates

When requesting an appointment to be issued nomination documents, you will need to provide your full name and residential address (for eligibility verification), and the name of anyone else who will be attending the appointment with you (you may bring one additional person—for example, your prospective campaign manager). If a prospective candidate would like to have the City Clerk issue nomination documents to someone else on their behalf, that person must bring a statement, signed by the prospective candidate, authorizing them to do so.

Filing Your Nomination Documents

All forms should be complete when requesting your appointment to file your nomination documents. Those who cannot make it to an in-person appointment to file their nomination documents due to health reasons can contact the City Clerk to schedule an appointment for a remote (zoom or telephone) meeting to complete the nomination filing process and mail in or drop off nomination documents. Please request such appointments at least one business day in advance (Monday appointments may be requested on the prior Thursday). Keep in mind the original physical nomination paper must be in the City Clerk's possession by the close of the nomination period.

Appointment Time Slots (both in-person and remote)

Please contact the City Clerk at (909) 625-9416 or email cityclerk@cityofmontclair.org to request an appointment. Check in at the front desk at least 5 minutes prior to your appointment time and the City Clerk will let you in at your appointment time.

The following time slots are available for the issuance or filing of nomination documents:

Regular Nomination Period

Mondays - Thursdays, July 18 to August 17, 2022

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Friday, August 12, 2022

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Days and times the City Clerk will not be available for appointments due to known conflicts:

Monday, July 18: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 26: No appointments before noon.
Thursday, July 28: No appointments after noon.
Monday, August 1: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 9: No appointments before noon.
Thursday, August 11: No appointments after noon.
Monday, August 15: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.

Write-In Nomination Period

Mondays - Thursdays, September 12 to October 25, 2022

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Days and times the City Clerk will not be available for appointments due to known conflicts:

Tuesday, September 13: No appointments before noon.
Wednesday, September 14: No appointments before noon.
Thursday, September 15: No appointments after noon.
Monday, September 19: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 27: No appointments before noon.
Thursday, September 29: No appointments after noon.
Monday, October 3: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 11: No appointments before noon.
Wednesday, October 12: No appointments available.
Thursday, October 13: No appointments after noon.
Monday, October 17: No appointments after 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 25: No appointments before noon.

Resources for Candidates

The Candidate Handbook for the City of Montclair's 2022 General Municipal Election is an easy-to-use guide that contains copies of all nomination documents, FPPC forms, summaries and full text of campaign laws and regulations, and other information that a candidate may find useful when running or deciding whether to run for an open seat on the Montclair City Council. The forms in the handbook are samples - only forms issued by the City Clerk's Office may be used when filing for candidacy.

Candidates may purchase a hard copy of the handbook at a cost of $50, which is calculated based on the City's Master User Fee Schedule. All documents contained in the handbook will be provided to candidates as separate files on a USB flash drive in PDF format (except for the nomination paper) free of charge; however, many find it useful to have the physical handbook for quick reference and note-taking.

County of San Bernardino Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters

The City of Montclair consolidates its elections with the County of San Bernardino Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters . The Elections Office of the Registrar of Voters provides information on election dates, registered voters, and campaign finance training seminars. The ROV also provides products and services to campaigns, including voter district maps and registration reports. Order forms can be downloaded from the County's website from the Products and Services menu.

Fair Political Practices Commission

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regulates and enforces political campaign finances to ensure transparency and ethically sound elections. Candidates and campaign treasurers can download forms and manuals as well as access training opportunities and webinars through the FPPC website.

Important FPPC Documents for Candidates and Political Committees

These forms and manuals are updated periodically; therefore, it is recommended to download the most current document for each filing and election period.

Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) - Required to be filed by all candidates for the offices of Mayor and Council Member as part of the nomination packet. Review the instructions on the form, the City's Conflict of Interest Code, Government Code Section 87201, and the FPPC's Conflict of Interest Rules for additional guidance. The Form 700 can be filed using one of the following methods:
- Complete and submit the form electronically at Netfile.com/Filer after nomination papers are pulled and the City Clerk has created a new filer account in the system. Once you are set up in the system, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to file electronically.
- The PDF version of the form may be saved, completed, and signed following the FPPC's digital signature instructions, and then the signed PDF file can be emailed to cityclerk@cityofmontclair.org. This method will require the City Clerk to contact you via telephone to receive verbal verification of the digital signature's authenticity.
- The final and simplest option is to submit a wet-signed paper version of the form to the City Clerk.
Campaign Manual 2 - Information for Local Candidates, their Controlled Committees, and Primarily Formed Committees for Local Candidates. All candidates and their treasurers should refer to Manual 2 regarding campaign financial reporting and ethical campaign practices.
Committee Campaign Statement Forms - Review information on committee campaign statement forms, which are required to be filed periodically throughout the election (most commonly used for Municipal Elections are the Forms 410, 460, 470, 496, 497, and 501). Refer to the forms and Manual 2 for instructions and deadlines. These forms can also be completed and submitted online at Netfile.com/Filer.

Filing FPPC Documents Online with NetFile

Most FPPC forms can be filed directly with the City Clerk using the NetFile online filer portal. Please contact the City Clerk's Office at (909) 625-9416 or email cityclerk@cityofmontclair.org if you are interested and have not yet filed online so your filer account can be set up. NetFile also offers free web or telephone training for all online filers. More information can be found below.