Explore Dos Palos voter guides, local civic context and official resources for Merced County campaigns, with dated population and registration facts.
At a glance: Dos Palos is an incorporated city in Merced County. Population: 5,685 (California Department of Finance estimate as of January 1, 2026). Registered voters: 2,634 (California Secretary of State, as of September 4, 2026).
Dos Palos is an incorporated Merced County city near the Fresno County border along State Route 33. The county LAFCo’s December 2017 service review locates it south-southwest of Merced. The review carefully distinguishes the city from Midway and South Dos Palos, neighboring unincorporated communities within the planning discussion. A Dos Palos mailing address or shared utility relationship should not be treated as proof of residence inside city limits. Municipal boundaries and service arrangements answer different questions and need separate evidence. The historical governance section records incorporation on May 24, 1935, and describes a general-law council-manager arrangement. Its service chapters address police, fire, storm drainage, water and sewer. These chapters help readers identify the subject of a local infrastructure decision, but their staffing, finances and facility conditions describe the review period rather than verified present operations. The 2017 report examines how annexation and future development relate to service financing and development-impact fees. A proposal to expand service planning is not the same as completed construction or a changed city boundary. Use later city and LAFCo actions for current parcel-specific questions, and keep Midway and South Dos Palos distinct from the incorporated municipality even where utility arrangements overlap.
The 2017 LAFCo review treats South Dos Palos as a neighboring unincorporated community, distinct from the city.
The historical review records May 24, 1935.
The official review examines municipal infrastructure and public services, including water, wastewater, drainage and public safety; its figures describe the dated study period.
The historical review describes a general-law council-manager city, incorporated on May 24, 1935.
2,634 (California Secretary of State, as of September 4, 2026).
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