| Salinas | 155,889 |
| Seaside | 34,120 |
| Monterey | 28,472 |
| Soledad | 25,616 |
| Marina | 20,816 |
| Prunedale | 19,628 |
| Greenfield | 16,994 |
| Pacific Grove | 15,546 |
| King City | 13,532 |
| Gonzales | 8,401 |
| Castroville | 6,978 |
| Del Monte Forest | 4,819 |
| Carmel Valley Village | 4,282 |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea | 3,852 |
| Pajaro | 3,524 |
| Las Lomas | 3,047 |
| Aromas | 2,508 |
| Pine Canyon | 1,799 |
| Del Rey Oaks | 1,683 |
| Boronda | 1,381 |
| Chualar | 1,238 |
| Elkhorn | 1,091 |
| San Ardo | 821 |
| Spreckels | 745 |
| Lockwood | 443 |
| San Lucas | 362 |
| Sand City | 301 |
| Bradley | 134 |
| Moss Landing | 118 |
| District 1, Vice Chair | Luis Alejo |
| District 2 | John M. Phillips |
| District 3 | Chris Lopez |
| District 4 | Wendy Root Askew |
| District 5, Chair | Mary L. Adams |
| Board Member, Trustee Area 1 | Annette Yee Steck |
| Board Member, Trustee Area 2 | John McPherson |
| Board President, Trustee Area 3 | Judy Pennycook |
| Board Member, Trustee Area 4 | Janet Wohlgemuth |
| Board Member, Trustee Area 5 | Ronald Panziera |
| Board Member, Trustee Area 6 | Mary Claypool |
| County/District Level, Trustee Area 7 | Lupe Sanchez |
For most of the 20th century, Monterey County was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. From 1900 until 1992, the only Democrats to carry the county were Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson. Since 1992, the county has become a Democratic stronghold in Presidential and congressional elections, with George H. W. Bush in 1988 being the last Republican to win Monterey County.
According to the California Secretary of State, as of April 2008, Monterey County has 147,066 registered voters.Of those voters, 72,550 (49.3%) are registered Democratic, 42,744 (29.1%) are registered Republican, 5,488 (3.7%) are registered with other political parties, and 26,284 (17.9%) declined to state a political party. Except for Sand City, all of the other cities, towns, and the unincorporated area of Monterey County have more individuals registered with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party. In Sand City, the Republicans have the advantage by 1 voter.
In August 2018, it adopted a flag designed by a Nob Hill resident.
