Election & Ballot Watch - November 2026 - in Camel-by-the-Sea

Amidst the National, State, County Ballots, Village Candidates and their Ballot Measures - our cups runneth over!. However, as it was once said (in 1980's) - in the 1980's by Tip O'Neal "All Politics are Local". Whether you agree with this phrase or not - our local elections are where our votes can have the most impact. Whomever and whatever appears on our Village specific ballots, they are critical to our future. The decisions we make and the follow-on decisions these representatives make - touches our pocketbooks and everything that makes Carmel-by-the-Sea what we experence every day.

This page will keep track of Carmel City Council Candidates and any Ballot Measures that may appear on our November Ballots - as the news and announcements roll in! Suggestions and corrections are always welcome to [email protected]. Our Village specific items including those running for Council and any pending tax measures will appear on our November 3rd General Election ballots.

HERE is a 5/1/26 update on #'s of registered Village voters as provide in Carmel Pine Cone - page 18 "State reports record voter registration in advance of June 2 primary" Quote "...people registered to vote as of the beginning of April, 2,432 live in Carmelby-the-Sea."

HERE is the Carmel-by-the-Sea's City Elections webpage and guidance on running for City Council...including these key dates:

July 13 – August 7, 2026 – Nomination Period
July 31, 2026 – Semi-Annual Form 460 Due (for period 1-1-2026 – 6-30-2026), if applicable
September 7 – October 20, 2026 – Write-In Candidacy Period
September 24, 2026 - 1st Pre-Election 460 Campaign Statement Due
October 5, 2026 - Mailing of Vote by Mail Ballots
October 19, 2026 – Last day to Register to Vote for the November Election
October 22, 2026 - 2nd Pre-Election Campaign Statement Due
November 3, 2026 – Election Day
December 3, 2026 - Official Canvass of Vote (Certification of Election Results)

CRA Hosts our every election year City Council Candidates Forum. This year it's set for Tuesday September 15th at Carmel Woman's Club 5:30-7:30, held every 2 years! Details HERE

Announced Candidates...so far

HERE is the 6/19/26 Carmel Pine Cone article page 14, "Buder kicks off Mayoral Race"
HERE is the 4/10/26 Carmel Pine Cone cover article "Suddenly, everybody’s talking about race for mayor, council. Mayor, two council seats in play"
  Hans Buder - announces he will run for Mayor; Hans has 2+ years remaining in his current 4 year Council term.
    Jeff Baron - announces, as an incombunant, he will run again for a new 4 year term on Council.
  Alissandra Dramov - announces, as an incombunant, she will run again for a new 4 year term on Council.

Ballot Measures - preparations at the June 2nd and July 7th City Council

HERE is the 7/7/26 City Council staff report to "Discuss Primary Arguments In Favor of Ballot Measures for Transient Occupancy Tax and Transactions and Use Tax (Sales) and Approve by Motion the Proposed Primary Arguments or Provide Other Direction"
Argument supporting TOT HERE
Argument supporting Sales Tax HERE

HERE is 6/19/26 the Carmel Pine Cone article, page 3 "Two tax measures ballot-bound"
HERE is the Staff Report on the TOT 2% increase for our November ballot
HERE is the YouTube starting with this topic
HERE are the Slides on this topic
HERE is the Staff Report on the Sales Tax .375% increase for our November ballot
HERE is the YouTube starting with this topic
HERE are the Slides for this topic
Findings: HERE is the video beginning of the public comments covering BOTH tax measures and resulting Council discussions and decisions as follows. The TOT received 5/0 vote support to be on the November ballot. The Sales Tax received a 4/1 vote support to be on the November ballot. Discussion included pros/cons of each tax as well as the risks of having one or two tax measures on the ballot.
There is expanded content and Council findings on these tax measures that can be found on the CRA Budget page HERE

Carmel Unified School District (CUSD)- Capital Improvement Funding Bond
is the CUSD webpage where you can get additional information
HERE is a flyer sent to all voters in our school district area
quoting from this above flyer....

"How much would the local school improvement measure cost? ...(this) measure will provide $250 million for repairs and upgrades to CUSD school and is estimated to cost $36 per every $100,000 of a property's assessed (not market) value per year, while bonds are outstanding.

As always you can securely mail your ballots in the official Village location in the Sunset Center Parking Lot - up to 5PM on the day of each Election (General Tuesday November 3) and our local voting in person location is in Carpenter Hall in Sunset Center - commonly beginning at 7AM and closing at 8PM Pacific Time. For more details on how to register or update your voter profile - visit the Monterey County Elections office HERE