FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ryan McCauley
650-772-3644, rmccauley@openspace.org
Filing Deadline to Run for Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s Board of Directors – August 7
Los Altos, CA — Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) has four Board seats up for election in the November 3, 2026 general election: Wards 1, 2, 5 and 6. Members of the public interested in running for office have until 5 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2026, to file the required paperwork. Candidate filing for non-incumbents is extended only if an incumbent does not file nomination papers by 5 p.m. on August 7, 2026.
Midpen is a public agency created by local voters and governed by a publicly elected board of directors. Each of Midpen’s seven directors serve four-year terms on the board representing the residents of a geographic area or “ward” within Midpen’s boundaries. The board generally holds its regular public meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 7 p.m.
Contested seats will be decided by local voters in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Generally, the wards include the following areas:
- Ward 1 - Cupertino, Lexington Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga
- Ward 2 - Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Palo Alto
- Ward 5 - East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale
- Ward 6 - Atherton, La Honda, Ladera, Loma Mar, Menlo Park, North Fair Oaks, Pescadero, Portola Valley, Redwood City, West Menlo Park, Woodside
Eligible board candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Registered to vote and reside within the ward they seek to represent
Potential candidate are required to gather signatures from 50 registered voters in their ward on a nomination form provided by Midpen’s clerk.
Directors help set strategic direction for the agency, overseeing policies, annual budgets and work plans. Board members strive to support the agency's mission while engaging in respectful dialogue and deliberation with fellow Board members, staff and the public.
Candidates who intend to file nomination papers during the Nomination Period must contact Midpen's clerk at 650-691-1200 or clerk@openspace.org to make appointments to receive and submit the required paperwork.
For more information and a ward map visit openspace.org/election-information