The Fairfield City Council is the elected governing body for the City of Fairfield, California. It has seven members: a mayor elected citywide and six council members who each represent one geographic district. The council passes local ordinances, adopts the city budget, and hires and oversees the city manager, who runs daily operations under a council-manager structure. Regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., and they are open to the public.1City of Fairfield. City Council
Who Sits on the Council
Six council seats correspond to six geographic districts, with one member elected by the voters who live in that district. The mayor is the only seat elected by the whole city. Fairfield moved from five at-large seats to this seven-seat district system in 2020.2City of Fairfield. City Councilmembers
All seven members serve staggered four-year terms, so about half the seats come up every two years. Each year the council picks one of its own to serve as vice mayor, who runs meetings and covers mayoral duties when the mayor isn’t available.1City of Fairfield. City Council
What the Council Decides
The council writes the local law. Ordinances it passes become part of the Fairfield Municipal Code and cover areas like zoning, land use, fire safety, and public nuisances. Each ordinance goes through at least two readings at public meetings before it takes effect, so residents have a chance to be heard before anything is final.
The council also adopts the city’s biennial operating budget, which sets spending for police, fire, parks, infrastructure, and every other city service. The current budget covers fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27.3City of Fairfield. Financial Reports Allocations can be amended during the cycle, and mid-year adjustments happen when revenues or costs shift.
On the executive side, the council appoints and oversees the city manager, who carries out council policy and handles most hiring of city staff. Under California law for general law cities, the council also has authority to appoint the city attorney and other key officials.4California Legislative Information. California Government Code 36505
The council also sits as a quasi-judicial body on certain matters. When a property owner appeals a denied land-use permit or a zoning variance, the council holds a formal hearing, takes testimony, and issues a binding decision based on the record. These proceedings carry stricter procedural rules than legislative votes, and any council member with a financial conflict in the case must recuse.
Meetings and Public Comment
Regular meetings happen the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at 1000 Webster Street in Fairfield.1City of Fairfield. City Council Under the Ralph M. Brown Act, the agenda for every regular meeting must be posted at least 72 hours in advance in a publicly accessible location and on the city’s website.5California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 Special meetings require 24 hours’ notice. You cannot be required to sign in or register as a condition of attending.6State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Open Meetings
Every regular agenda includes time for public comment. You can speak to a specific agenda item before the council votes on it, and a separate general comment period lets residents raise any concern within the council’s authority. Each speaker usually gets three minutes. Arriving early and filling out a speaker card helps the clerk run the meeting, but a speaker card is not legally required. The Brown Act also lets you record meetings with audio or video equipment, provided the recording doesn’t disrupt proceedings.
What’s on the 2026 Ballot
Fairfield holds its general municipal election in November of even-numbered years, consolidated with state and federal elections.7City of Fairfield. Election Information In November 2026, four seats are up, each for a four-year term:
- District 1
- District 3
- District 5
- Mayor (citywide)
The nomination period is expected to open in July 2026. Watch the City Clerk’s election page for the exact filing window once Solano County publishes the election calendar.8City of Fairfield. 2026 General Election
Running for a Seat
To qualify, you must be a United States citizen, at least 18 years old, and a registered voter in Fairfield. If you’re running for a district seat, you have to live in that district when nomination papers are issued. A sitting council member who moves out of the city or their district automatically vacates the seat under state law.
Candidates file a packet with the City Clerk’s Office. The core document is the Nomination Paper, which must carry signatures from at least 20 and no more than 30 registered voters in the district (or citywide for mayor).9California Legislative Information. California Elections Code 10220
You also submit a Ballot Designation Worksheet, which justifies the professional title that appears below your name on the ballot. You can list your current job, but you have to document it, and the Secretary of State can reject designations that are misleading.10Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 2 Section 20711 – Ballot Designation Worksheet
The third required form is the Statement of Economic Interests, known as Form 700, filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission. It discloses investments, real property, income, and business positions so voters can see potential financial conflicts.11California Fair Political Practices Commission. Statements of Economic Interests – Form 700 Form 700 isn’t a one-time filing: once you’re in office you file annually and again when you leave office.
The nomination period opens roughly 113 days before Election Day and closes on the 88th day before the election, a window of about 25 days. If an incumbent doesn’t file by the deadline, the window for that specific seat extends by five additional days to let new candidates enter.12City of Fairfield. Filing Process Opens for Fairfield City Council and Mayoral Seats The extension applies only to the seat the incumbent didn’t file for, not to every race on the ballot.