California cities, counties and special districts do not all organize power the same way. This guide explains the usual job. The charter, code and official agency website tell you the exact one.
THE FIVE-MINUTE VOTER METHOD
A fast way to get past campaign language.
Confirm the power.
Can this office actually deliver the promise?
Open the evidence.
Check budgets, audits, votes and performance—not only biographies.
Use one test.
Ask every candidate the same concrete questions.
Notice what is missing.
A claim without a measure, deadline or source needs follow-up.
AI-READY RESEARCH BUILDER
Turn a vague search into a careful research assignment.
Tell us the office, place and issue. We’ll write a source-conscious prompt you can paste into the AI assistant of your choice. It asks for evidence and equal treatment—not an endorsement.
YOUR RESEARCH PROMPT
Help me research the County Assessor race in my California community.
Use current official sources first: the jurisdiction's charter or code, agency website, budgets, agendas, audits, performance data, candidate filings and official voter guide. State the date and link for every factual claim. Distinguish verified government records from candidate claims and news reporting. Explain what this office can and cannot do. Compare each candidate's relevant experience, documented priorities and specific proposals using the same criteria. Flag missing evidence and questions I should ask.
Do not infer positions, predict outcomes, score ideology, endorse anyone or tell me how to vote. End with a short source list and five unanswered questions.
AI can be confidently wrong. Open the cited records yourself, check their dates and never treat a generated summary as a voting recommendation.
01
PROPERTY & TAXES · OFFICE DECODER
County Assessor
Values taxable property and maintains the county assessment roll.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
Those values help determine the property-tax bill attached to a home or business.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Values most taxable real and business property
Reviews many exemption and exclusion claims
Defends assessments when they are appealed
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
It does not set the tax rate, calculate the final bill or collect payment.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
County assessment-roll statistics
Assessment Appeals Board reports
Exemption and exclusion instructions
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
How will you make assessments consistent and explainable?
How quickly can residents understand and challenge an assessment?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Look for appraisal competence, fair administration, useful public instructions and credible management of a technical office.
02
COUNTY GOVERNMENT · OFFICE DECODER
County Supervisor
Helps govern the county, approve its budget and oversee most county services.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
County choices shape public health, social services, roads, jails and land use—especially outside city limits.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Votes on the county budget and policy
Acts on land-use and public-hearing matters
Appoints many department leaders, boards and commissions
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
One supervisor cannot act alone or command independently elected county officers.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Adopted county budget and department performance reports
Board agendas, minutes and voting records
Civil grand jury and county audit reports
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Which budget tradeoff would you make first, and why?
How will residents measure whether county services improve?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Compare actual votes, constituent service, oversight habits and whether promises match county authority.
03
PUBLIC SAFETY · OFFICE DECODER
County Sheriff
Leads the sheriff’s department and commonly runs county jails and patrols unincorporated areas.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
The office affects jail safety, emergency response, use-of-force policy and public accountability.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Sets department policy and operational priorities
Oversees county jail operations in most counties
Directs patrol and investigations within its jurisdiction
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
The sheriff does not write criminal laws, sentence people or control city police departments.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Use-of-force and misconduct data
Jail inspection and in-custody-death reports
Response-time, staffing and budget records
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Which outcomes will you publish so the public can judge performance?
How will you prevent deaths, abuse and untreated illness in custody?
Leads the office that decides which eligible criminal cases the county will prosecute and how.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
Charging and plea decisions affect victims, defendants, public safety and who enters the criminal legal system.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Sets officewide prosecution priorities
Decides whether and how to charge eligible cases
Oversees prosecutors and victim-service programs
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
The district attorney does not arrest people, decide guilt or set a sentence.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Charging, diversion and case-outcome policies
Outcome data by race and geography, where available
Budget, caseload and conviction-integrity reports
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Which decisions will your office measure and publish?
When will you use diversion, and how will you evaluate it?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Look for ethical judgment, trial and management competence, disclosure practices and measurable claims.
05
CITY GOVERNMENT · OFFICE DECODER
City Council Member
Votes on city laws, budgets, land use and local services as part of a governing council.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
Council decisions can change housing approvals, street safety, policing budgets, parks and what gets built nearby.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Adopts the city budget and local ordinances
Votes on many land-use and development matters
Sets priorities for services and infrastructure
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
A council member generally cannot personally direct staff or change policy without enough votes.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Council agendas, minutes and voting records
City budget and capital-improvement plan
Campaign finance and conflict-of-interest filings
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Name one budget item you would fund and one you would reduce.
What evidence guides your housing and street-safety votes?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Check coalition-building, preparation, attendance, conflicts and whether the candidate explains real tradeoffs.
06
CITY LEADERSHIP · OFFICE DECODER
Mayor
Provides citywide leadership, but exact authority depends on the city’s charter and government structure.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
A mayor may be a powerful executive—or mainly the council’s presiding officer. The title alone does not reveal the job.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Represents citywide priorities and convenes action
Presides over council meetings in many cities
May appoint or supervise officials where the charter permits
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
Do not assume every California mayor directly runs city departments. Many cities employ a professional city manager.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
City charter and municipal code
Mayoral appointment list and council votes
Budget proposals and stated performance goals
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Which powers does this city’s charter give the mayor?
What requires a council majority, and how will you build it?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
First verify the local job description. Then judge leadership, coalition-building and command of city operations.
07
PUBLIC RECORDS · OFFICE DECODER
City Clerk
Keeps the city’s official legislative record and often manages records, filings and municipal elections.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
The clerk helps residents find what government did, follow meetings and understand local election rules.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Preserves ordinances, resolutions and minutes
Supports access to public records
Coordinates municipal elections and official filings
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
The clerk usually does not make city policy or run other departments; the job may be elected or appointed.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Records-request procedures and response reports
Agenda and minutes archive
Election, campaign and conflict-of-interest filings
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
How will you make records easier to search and understand?
How will you protect accurate, neutral election administration?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Value accuracy, independence, records access and election-administration competence.
08
PUBLIC EDUCATION · OFFICE DECODER
School Board Trustee
Helps set school-district policy, approve the budget and hire or evaluate the superintendent.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
Board choices affect classroom priorities, student services, facilities and whether district leadership is accountable.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Adopts district budgets and policy
Hires and evaluates the superintendent
Approves curriculum within state requirements
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
A trustee does not personally run a school, supervise teachers or unilaterally rewrite state standards.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Local Control and Accountability Plan
District budget, audit and student outcome dashboard
Board agendas, votes and superintendent review process
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
Which student outcome should improve first, and by how much?
What would cause you to change course or replace leadership?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Compare student outcomes, fiscal stewardship, governance discipline and attention to all students.
09
LOCAL SERVICES · OFFICE DECODER
Special District Director
Governs a local agency created for a service such as water, fire protection, parks or sanitation.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
These low-profile boards can set rates, approve debt and decide whether essential infrastructure is maintained.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Approves agency budget, rates and long-term plans
Sets policy for the district’s specific service
Hires and oversees senior management in many districts
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
There is no single special-district job. Start by identifying the district type, boundaries and legal powers.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
District budget, audits and reserve policy
Rate studies, capital plan and debt schedule
Service reliability and board attendance records
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
What is the largest unfunded infrastructure risk?
What service standard should customers expect and how is it measured?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Look for subject-matter literacy, rate discipline, maintenance planning and open governance.
10
THE COURTS · OFFICE DECODER
Superior Court Judge
Presides over trial-court matters including criminal, civil, family, juvenile and probate cases.
WHY IT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE
Judges make decisions about liberty, family safety, disputes and whether every person receives a fair hearing.
WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN DO
Rules on evidence and legal motions
Manages trials and courtroom procedure
Makes permitted sentencing and case-management decisions
WHAT IT CANNOT DO ALONE
A judge does not prosecute cases, represent either side or create new criminal laws.
OPEN THESE RECORDS
Official candidate statement and professional history
Public judicial-discipline information
Appellate decisions involving the judge, read in context
ASK EVERY CANDIDATE
What experience prepares you for this court’s full caseload?
How do you protect fairness, access and courtroom dignity?
A FAIR EVALUATION TEST
Focus on legal ability, temperament, integrity, impartiality and relevant courtroom experience—not promised outcomes.
THE USEFUL HABIT
Judge candidates against the power they are actually seeking.
A promise can sound appealing and still concern something the office does not control. Start with authority. Then compare evidence, judgment and priorities.