Ballots went out to about 54,000 Mendocino County voters in early October, along with 322 overseas and military ballots (Ukiah Daily Journal). If yours is sitting on the kitchen table, this guide is meant to help. It covers every race and measure that can appear on a Mendocino ballot, the drop boxes and the deadlines. We don't endorse anyone in this story. Where we describe what a candidate stands for, we use the candidate's own words, quoted from forums, interviews and campaign sites, and we link to where they said it. Your sample ballot in the county voter guide shows exactly which races are on yours.

First, which district are you in?

California voters approved Proposition 50 in a November 2025 special election. It adopted new congressional maps that run through 2030, and they split Mendocino County in two (Mendocino Voice). Roughly, the coast, Laytonville and Leggett are in the 2nd Congressional District, and the Ukiah Valley, Willits, Covelo and Anderson Valley are in the 1st. By town, using the state's official district block file (Statewide Database, AB 604 files): Ukiah, Willits, Brooktrails, Calpella, Redwood Valley, Talmage, Potter Valley, Hopland, Covelo, Boonville and Philo are in the 1st. Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Laytonville, Leggett, Mendocino, Caspar, Cleone, Little River, Albion, Comptche, Manchester, Anchor Bay and Gualala are in the 2nd. The state's district reports show Ukiah and Willits entirely in the 1st, and Fort Bragg and Point Arena entirely in the 2nd (Statewide Database, AB 604 city splits report; state Senate Office of Demographics). Beyond Mendocino, the reshaped 1st District takes in all of Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra and Tehama counties and parts of Lake and Sonoma. The 2nd runs from Marin north to the Oregon line and east through Shasta, Siskiyou and Modoc (state Senate Office of Demographics). If you live on a rural road outside those towns, check which House race is printed on your own ballot. This November's House races are held under the new lines, and the winners take office when the next Congress is seated on Jan. 3, 2027 (same source).

The rest of the county stays together: all of Mendocino is in State Senate District 2, Assembly District 2 and Board of Equalization District 2.

U.S. House, 1st District (Ukiah, Willits, Covelo, Anderson Valley)

James Gallagher (Republican), ballot designation "United States Representative/Farmer," against Mike McGuire (Democrat), "California State Senator" (Secretary of State certified list). The seat opened when Rep. Doug LaMalfa died in January. Gallagher, who served 12 years in the state Assembly, won a June special election under the old lines and was sworn in in June. McGuire has been a state senator for 12 years (CapRadio; Press Democrat).

On fire, Gallagher told CapRadio that "the number one cause of these fires is fuel, dangerous fuel buildup on our public lands," and pointed to his support for the Fix Our Forests Act. On insurance, he said the federal government could act "as a reinsurance backstop" so homeowners aren't "all being stuck with [the] FAIR Plan." On water, he said he has been "a big proponent of building new water storage [like] Sites Reservoir" (CapRadio). On the Potter Valley Project, he told the Mendocino Voice in May that another operator, such as the Bureau of Reclamation, could be found: "Let's have an abundance philosophy, and to me, taking down the dams doesn't make any sense" (Mendocino Voice). Of Prop 50, he told CapRadio: "it was wrong that these districts were drawn in that way."

On fire, McGuire's campaign site says, "I've led the charge to double the number of CalFire firefighters, deploying more state fire engines on the road and more planes in the sky." It pledges to "Double the budget for firefighting and forest management at the US Forest Service" and to "Safely increase the number of prescribed burns and Indigenous land stewardship practices that reduce risk and restore forest health" (McGuire campaign). On Potter Valley, he called the Trump administration's push for a Riverside County water district to buy the project a "disingenuous proposition" and said "in the end we will have a new project that provides certainty for all involved" (Mendocino Voice). At the Oct. 6 forum in Ukiah, he said PG&E has tried to sell the project for 20 years "and they've left us holding the bag," and backed what he called a "four-basin solution" (Press Democrat).

U.S. House, 2nd District (the coast, Laytonville, Leggett)

Jared Huffman (Democrat), "U.S. Representative," against Robin Littau (Republican), "Enterprise Elementary School Board Member" (certified list). Huffman was first elected in 2012. Littau is a Coast Guard veteran who owns a Redding-based cleaning service and a faith-based lifestyle magazine (JPR).

Asked what unites the district, Huffman said "It's healthcare. … The cost of healthcare is out of control and getting higher." Littau named homelessness and public safety, and said, "One of my biggest frustrations is seeing the fraud, waste, and abuse that I keep hearing all around on a state level, on a federal level." On wolves and livestock, Littau said ranchers "are absolutely at the end of patience." Huffman said he would look at approaches including "improving habitat for deer, elk, and antelope, so that we have more prey for these wolves" (JPR).

State Senate, District 2

The seat is open because McGuire is termed out (The Ark). Damon Connolly (Democrat), "California State Assemblymember," faces Tief Gibbs (Republican), "Small Businesswoman." Connolly lives in San Rafael and Gibbs in Novato. Connolly took about 73.4% of the June primary vote and Gibbs about 16.2% (The Ark).

At a Sept. 24 forum reported by The Ark, Gibbs said she opposes decommissioning the Potter Valley Project, opposes removing dams in general and wants hydropower counted as renewable energy. Connolly called the Klamath dam removals "an unmitigated success" and said he supports the Two-Basin Solution for Potter Valley plus new storage for Russian River communities downstream. Both said state housing mandates come without money for the infrastructure new housing needs. "The state is required by law to actually fund mandates that it imposes on local governments, but in most cases … it's not doing that, which is wrong," Connolly said. They split on Proposition 43: Gibbs backs it ("The property owner should really be the primary person to decide whether this is a valid tax"), and Connolly opposes it. On wildfire, Connolly said he wants discounts and continued coverage for homeowners who harden their homes, plus changes to the FAIR Plan. Gibbs questioned who is making sure PG&E clears trees from its lines (The Ark).

State Assembly, District 2

Chris Rogers (Democrat), the incumbent, "Assemblymember," against Michael Greer (Republican), "Retired Teacher" (certified list). Greer's campaign address is in Crescent City.

Rogers told KRCB that "wildfire preparedness, resiliency, and rebuild is a really big thing for me," and described a bill to create incentives for more doctors and nurses on the North Coast. Of the district's five counties, he said, "the only thing that they really agree on is that Sacramento up to this point has not listened" (KRCB). At a March town hall in Potter Valley, the Anderson Valley Advertiser reported, Rogers said the focus should be on water storage solutions, and said he did not believe there was a buyer for the project. He also said, "I'm not in favor of a mileage tax. There's a de facto mileage tax on rural roads" (AVA).

Greer, a Del Norte County school board member, told KRCB that state rules should leave room for rural differences: "What happens in Sonoma County is not the same thing that happens up in Del Norte. … So, don't give us the same restrictions. Give us the flexibility." He called affordability "a legislature caused problem" (KRCB). His campaign site calls for "simplifying zoning and building regulations dictated by local authorities not 'one-size-fits-all' state mandates," audits of "housing and homelessness expenditures given to nonprofits," regulatory relief for small businesses and construction, and investment in "nuclear power plants that provide more clean energy at lower cost and greater reliability" (Greer campaign).

Governor

Xavier Becerra (Democrat), "Voting Rights Attorney," against Steve Hilton (Republican), "Small Business Owner." On water, Hilton told CalMatters, "We can and should have abundant water in California." He backs Sites Reservoir and raising Shasta Dam and is against the Delta tunnel: "I'm totally against it." Becerra has not published a water plan. His spokesperson said he "will bring everyone to the table to modernize our water infrastructure." At a Fresno forum, Becerra said, "We have to do a far better job of storage, of conveyance, and we have to do a far better job of conservation and distribution" (CalMatters via Mendocino Voice). We found no statement from either candidate on Scott Dam or Lake Pillsbury.

The rest of the statewide ballot

Names, parties and ballot designations below come from the Secretary of State's certified list. An asterisk marks the incumbent. Candidate statements are in the state voter guide.

  • Lieutenant governor: Fiona Ma (D), State Treasurer/CPA; Gloria Romero (R), Educator/Businesswoman.
  • Secretary of state: Shirley N. Weber* (D); Donald P. (Don) Wagner (R), Orange County Supervisor.
  • Controller: Malia M. Cohen* (D); Herb W Morgan (R), Chief Investment Officer.
  • Treasurer: Eleni Kounalakis (D), Lieutenant Governor of California; Jennifer Hawks (R), Retired Business Executive.
  • Attorney general: Rob Bonta* (D); Michael E. Gates (R), Deputy United States Attorney.
  • Insurance commissioner: Ben Allen (D), California State Senator; Jane Kim (D), Attorney/Consumer Advocate. The winner oversees the FAIR Plan and home insurance rates.
  • Superintendent of public instruction (nonpartisan): Richard Barrera, State Superintendent Advisor; Sonja Shaw, School District President.
  • Board of Equalization, District 2: Sally J. Lieber* (D); John Pimentel (D), Member, Board of Trustees, San Mateo County Community College District. Mendocino is in District 2 (BOE).
  • Judges (yes or no on keeping each): Supreme Court Associate Justices Kelli M. Evans and Joshua Groban, plus 11 justices of the First District Court of Appeal, which covers Mendocino: Charles A. Smiley, Kathleen M. Banke, Monique Langhorne Wilson, Therese M. Stewart, Tara M. Desautels, Ioana Petrou, Victor A. Rodriguez, Tracie L. Brown, Mark Simons, Danny Y. Chou and Gordon Burns.

There is no U.S. Senate race this year.

County supervisor, District 3 (nonpartisan, open seat)

Supervisor John Haschak isn't running. Buffey Wright Bourassa, "Program Manager," faces Eric Hart, "Nonprofit/Business Advisor" (Mendocino Voice election hub). In June, Bourassa led with 32.75% to Hart's 31.66% (Ukiah Daily Journal).

At a Sept. 20 forum at Little Lake Grange in Willits, as reported by the Mendocino Voice from the forum video, Hart said he would first look for spending that could be made more efficient and for revenue the county isn't collecting, such as unpaid property taxes and grants it hasn't sought. If the county were still in the red, he said, the choice between cuts and new revenue should go to the public. Bourassa, a program manager at the Sheriff's Office and a three-term former Sherwood Valley Rancheria tribal council member, said she would stop using one-time money for ongoing costs, protect the emergency reserve and require a public dashboard tracking the county's corrective actions after the state audit. On data centers, Hart said he supports the county's ban "until we decide whether this is something that our county wants." Bourassa said she supports the temporary pause and isn't automatically opposed, but wants "a clear benefit for Mendocino County." On private money for sheriff's enforcement, Hart said such grants should go through the board, and the source of the money, any conditions and what it buys should be published: "We're seeing money that is going out and no enforcement, no arrests, and that is concerning." Bourassa said the board has to hold departments to what their grants require, or the county will have to pay the money back, and cited a grant of about $4 million the county received to go after illegal grows (Mendocino Voice).

Supervisor Ted Williams won re-election outright in June with 55.61% (Ukiah Daily Journal).

City, school and district races

Most rural boards won't be on your ballot at all. The county counted 77 local races with 148 candidates. In most of them, no more people filed than there were seats, so the seats will be filled by appointment instead of by a vote. That includes fire, water and services districts and school boards from Covelo to Gualala (MendoLocal). What is on the ballot, with ballot designations from the Mendocino Voice election hub and city clerks:

  • Fort Bragg City Council (3 seats): incumbents Jason Godeke, Marcia Rafanan and Tess Albin-Smith; Mary Rose Kaczorowski, Journalist/Artist; Scott J. Mayberry, Task Force Commander; Levi W. Cooke, College Student; Mary Ann Schmidt, Retired Teacher; Richard Ulveling, Business Owner (City of Fort Bragg).
  • Ukiah City Council (3 seats): incumbents Susan Sher, Juan V. Orozco and Mari Rodin; Sean K. White, Water Resources Manager; Robert Bazzani, Small Business Owner; Mia L. Uribe, Retail Associate; John Strangio, Business Owner; Matt Froneberger, Chief Plant Operator (City of Ukiah). Candidate forum coverage: UDJ, Oct. 8.
  • Willits City Council (2 seats, unopposed): Robin Leler, Teacher; Sherrie Ebyam, Retired Finance Director. Neither incumbent filed.
  • Point Arena City Council (2 seats, unopposed): incumbent Barbara Burkey; Joshua Karlin Resnick, City Planner.
  • Willits Unified (3 seats): incumbents Jeanne King and Paula Nunez; Mason Neil Rescina, Instructional Aide; Nicole Karkar, Business Owner.
  • Ukiah Unified, Trustee Area 1: incumbent Beatriz "Bea" Arkin; Gabriel Baca Meza, Caregiver.
  • County Board of Education, Trustee Area 1: incumbent Marilyn Puget; Craig Perry, Accountant. Area 1 covers Calpella, Hopland, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley and east Talmage/Ukiah (county candidate list; MCOE; Ballotpedia).
  • Potter Valley Irrigation District, Division 4 (short term): Steven Giuntini, Appointed Incumbent; Jarred Hildebrand, Rancher/Vineyard Manager. It's one of the few contests that touches the Potter Valley Project directly.

Local measures

None of the five is countywide. Each appears only on ballots inside the district that proposed it. All five were placed on the Board of Supervisors' Sept. 1 consent agenda for consolidation with the Nov. 3 election (Legistar file 26-0732). Each measure's full text, impartial analysis and arguments are posted on the county's measures page: Measure AB, B, C, D and K. The figures below come from those county documents.

  • Measure B, Fort Bragg: brings back the city's fire equipment tax, which voters approved in 1983, 1994, 2004 and 2014. The 2014 measure, which set the tax at $22 per parcel, has expired. Measure B sets the tax at $50 per parcel per year for 10 years, 2027–28 through 2036–37, and the money can be used "solely for the acquisition of fire equipment." The city estimates about $123,900 a year. Needs two-thirds. No argument against was submitted.
  • Measure C, Point Arena: raises the hotel and vacation-rental tax that guests pay from 12% to 14%, starting April 1, 2027. It's a general tax that goes to the city's general fund, and it "would remain in effect until repealed by the voters." The city attorney's analysis estimates about $35,833 a year more. Needs a simple majority. No argument against was submitted.
  • Measure D, Coast Life Support District (Irish Beach south to Timber Cove in Sonoma County): raises the district's ambulance and emergency medical parcel tax to $101 per "unit of benefit," adjusted each July 1 for Bay Area inflation (CPI-U). A single-family home is three units, or $303 a year. Undeveloped farm, timber, pasture or waste land is zero units, and hotels, motels and restaurants are 20. The ordinance sets no end date for the tax. It raises the district's spending limit through fiscal 2030–31, after which voters would have to extend that limit. Needs two-thirds. No argument against was submitted.
  • Measure AB, Sonoma County Junior College District (Santa Rosa Junior College): an $830 million general obligation bond. The district estimates an average tax of $22 per $100,000 of assessed value and a highest rate of $25 per $100,000, collected through fiscal 2058–59. Total repayment is estimated at about $1.76 billion. Needs 55%. It's the only one of the five with an argument against, and each side filed a rebuttal.
  • Measure K, Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District (reaches into northern Mendocino): a $25 million general obligation bond for hospital facilities, including a new hospital to replace the 77-year-old Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville. The district's tax rate statement estimates 8 cents per $100, or $80 per $100,000 of assessed value, through fiscal 2052–53. Total repayment is estimated at about $50.4 million. The county's packet contains a discrepancy: the impartial analysis, prepared by Humboldt County Counsel, gives the average as "$8 per $100,000." The analysis also says one intended use, medical equipment, "likely does not fall within the constitutional exemption" that allows a bond-backed property tax. Needs two-thirds. No argument against was submitted.

The proposed 1% county road sales tax is not on the ballot. On July 21, supervisors voted 3–2 on the ordinance that would have put the tax before voters in the unincorporated county (Legistar file 26-0716). Supervisors Haschak, Norvell and Williams voted yes, and Cline and Mulheren voted no. Because it was a special tax, it needed four votes, so it failed (Mendocino Voice).

The 14 state propositions

The one-line summaries below follow the state Legislative Analyst's description of what a yes vote does (LAO). Titles are from the Secretary of State. Read the full analyses and the arguments on both sides in the state voter guide.

  • Prop 1: the state could borrow $11.25 billion for veterans and affordable housing.
  • Prop 2: changes the rules for building state budget reserves and paying down extra state debts, so reserves would grow and extra debt payments would last longer.
  • Prop 3: makes permanent the high-income tax increase in place since 2012, which otherwise expires in 2031, for schools and health care.
  • Prop 4: lets state and local governments create public financing for candidates' campaigns.
  • Prop 5: recall elections would no longer ask who should replace the official. Vacancies typically would be filled by special election or appointment.
  • Prop 37: a new state home-buying loan program for middle-income buyers of new homes, funded by up to $25 billion in revenue bonds.
  • Prop 38: the state could borrow $8.4 billion for immunology and immunotherapy research.
  • Prop 39: voters would have to present additional identifying information each time they vote.
  • Prop 40: a one-time tax on billionaires equal to 5% of their wealth.
  • Prop 41: the State Auditor would review programs funded by special taxes, including initiative taxes before they reach the ballot, and the state might not be able to exclude new special-tax spending from its spending limit.
  • Prop 42: the state could not create new taxes on owning financial assets or other personal property, or certain retroactive taxes.
  • Prop 43: certain local taxes would need two-thirds voter approval instead of a simple majority. Starting in 2027, that covers new, increased or extended local special taxes proposed by voters through an initiative (LAO).
  • Prop 44: certain private nonprofit community health clinics would have to spend at least 90% of their revenue each year on health care services. Supporters, in the official ballot argument in favor, urge a yes vote to "put patients first and hold clinics accountable" (state voter guide). Ukiah-based MCHC Health Centers urges a no vote (MCHC). Both sides' full arguments are in the state voter guide.
  • Prop 45: certain public and private projects would get new review and court-challenge procedures, with tighter time limits on environmental review and narrower court review.

How and where to vote

Mendocino is not one of the 30 counties that use vote centers under the Voter's Choice Act (Secretary of State). Under state law, every active registered voter is mailed a ballot (county elections).

Polling places are open on Election Day only, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The county lists 20 (Polling Place & Drop Box Locations; find your precinct):

  • Ukiah: Thurston Auto Plaza, 2800 N. State St.; New Life Community Church, Fellowship Room, 750 Yosemite Dr.; County Administration Building, Conference Room A, 501 Low Gap Road; Ukiah Senior Center, Bartlett Hall, 495 Leslie St.; Saint Mary's Church, Parish Hall, 900 S. Oak St.
  • Redwood Valley: Training Center, 8207 East Road
  • Potter Valley: Potter Valley High School, Multi-Purpose Room, 10401 Main St.
  • Hopland: Hopland Fire Department, 21 Feliz Creek Road
  • Willits: Brooktrails Community Center, 24860 Birch St.; Willits Community Center, Rec Hall, 111 E. Commercial St.
  • Laytonville: Laytonville Lions Fire Hall, 44920 Willis Ave.
  • Fort Bragg: Veterans Memorial Building, 360 N. Harrison St.; Grace Community Church, 1450 Oak St.
  • Caspar: Caspar Community Center, 15051 Caspar Road
  • Mendocino: Mendocino Fire, Meeting Room, 44700 Little Lake Road
  • Little River: Little River Inn, Abalone Room, Highway 1 (the county lists "7751 or 7901 Hwy 1")
  • Comptche: Chapel of the Redwoods, 31201 Comptche Ukiah Road
  • Boonville: Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Auditorium/Dining Room, 14400 Highway 128
  • Point Arena: Veterans Memorial Building, 451 School St.
  • Gualala: Coast Life Support, 38901 Ocean Dr.

The county's precinct list shows which polling place is yours. There is no polling place in Covelo, but a ballot drop box opens there on Election Day (below).

The elections office, 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1020, Ukiah, is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except holidays), and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. The county says the office "WILL BE OPEN Saturday, Oct 31, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to assist voters" (county elections).

Drop boxes: there are eight, open now through 8 p.m. Nov. 3 except where noted. You can sign, seal and return your ballot at any of them (county elections; Ukiah Daily Journal):

  • Ukiah: county administration building, 501 Low Gap Road (drive-up, 24/7); Civic Center, 300 Seminary Ave. (drive-up, 24/7); Mendocino College Welcome Center lobby, 1000 Hensley Creek Road (walk-up, Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–5 p.m.)
  • Willits: 111 E. Commercial St. (drive-up, 24/7)
  • Fort Bragg: 416 N. Franklin St., by the front door (walk-up, 24/7)
  • Point Arena: 451 School St. (drive-up, 24/7)
  • Boonville: fairgrounds office, 14400 Highway 128 (Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–4 p.m.)
  • Covelo: Round Valley Justice Court, 76270 Grange St. Election Day, Nov. 3, only, and for ballot drop-off only. Round Valley voters who want to return a ballot earlier will need to mail it or drive to another box. Anyone driving to Willits should allow for one-way traffic control on Highway 162 at the Eel River bridge, with delays of up to 10 minutes, through late January (Caltrans).

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Katrina Bartolomie told supervisors that each mailed ballot costs the county about a dollar in return postage, while drop boxes cost nothing. She said city drop boxes are emptied by two people together, as the county's are, and the envelopes are counted before the county picks them up. Only employees collect from the Mendocino College and Boonville boxes. The county has also widened the no-electioneering zone around polling places and drop boxes from 100 to 200 feet for elections through 2029 (same source).

Missed the Oct. 19 registration deadline? You can still register and vote the same day at the county elections office or at a polling place, through Election Day (Secretary of State; Mendocino Voice). County elections: 707-234-6819. You can track your ballot at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.

Key dates

  • Oct. 27: recommended last day to request a replacement ballot.
  • Oct. 27 or earlier: the Secretary of State recommends mailing your ballot at least seven days before Election Day.
  • Oct. 31: the county elections office in Ukiah is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help voters.
  • Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ballots must be in a drop box or at a polling place by 8 p.m. A mailed ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3. If you mail it that day, ask a postal clerk inside the post office for a hand postmark.
  • Nov. 10: last day for the county to receive a mailed ballot postmarked by Election Day.
  • Nov. 25, 5 p.m.: last day to fix a signature problem on your ballot envelope.

(Dates: Secretary of State.)

If we got something wrong, tell us and we'll correct it in the open.