The City Clerk's Office is here to protect the integrity of the democratic process. It serves members of the public, City Council, City staff, representatives of related local, state, and national agencies by providing accurate and current information on City Council and administrative actions.

To carry out its duties, the City Clerk's Office is required to conform with statutes such as the Ralph M. Brown Act (Open Meetings), California Public Records Act, and the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Conflicts of Interest).

Palm Desert is served by a City Clerk who is appointed by the City Manager. The City Clerk's Office is responsible for coordinating and preparing City Council Agendas and Minutes and for maintaining official City records.

Municipal Elections are conducted by the City Clerk's Office. Palm Desert's City Clerk also serves as Secretary to the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency, and the Housing and Financing Authorities. The City Clerk's Office coordinates all appointments by the City Council to City legislative and advisory bodies.

Common documents and forms are attached below. If you have any questions or thoughts for the City Clerk's office, you're welcome to contact our team.  

Resources

On January 25, 2024, the Palm Desert City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1406 establishing five single-member council districts. The incumbent council members will continue to serve and complete their existing terms.

The transition to single-member council districts will commence with the General Municipal Election of November 5, 2024, for the election of three members of City Council representing Districts 1, 2, and 3. The transition will be complete following the November 2026 election for two members of City Council representing Districts 4 and 5. You can learn more about the redistricting process by visiting www.redistrictpd.org, including an interactive map where you can locate your district.

Click here to access the District Locator Interactive Map

Records Requests

The procedure for public records request falls under the California Public Records Act (CPRA). The City Clerk is the Official Custodian of Records for the City, coordinates Public Records Act Request, and is responsible for maintaining all official City records in compliance with Federal, State, and Local regulations. 

To submit a Public Records Request, please click here to access the GovQA online records request portal.

Online Records

The City has an online portal for the public to access frequently requested records, including agendas, minutes, resolutions, and ordinances. Click here to access the online public records portal.