DATE: June 15, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
FROM: Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk DEPARTMENT: Communications/City Clerk
SUBJECT: CALLING AND GIVING NOTICE OF THE NOVEMBER 3, 2026
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION, REQUESTING
CONSOLIDATION OF THE ELECTION AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE A SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE
COUNTY OF SAN MATEO FOR ELECTION SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution:
(1) calling and giving notice of holding the General Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026 for the election of one (1) Member of the City Council for District 1 and one (1) Member of the City Council for District 2;
(2) requesting that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo consolidate the General Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026 with the General Election pursuant to Section 10403 of the Elections Code and to permit the San Mateo County Registration and Elections Division to conduct said election; and (3) authorizing the City Clerk to execute a service agreement with the County of San Mateo for election services.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
The General Municipal Election to elect Members of the City Council for Foster City is held in November of even-numbered years. By law, a resolution must be adopted calling the General Municipal Election. The election process to fill the two (2) Councilmember seats begins by calling the election. In 2024, the City transitioned from at-large to district elections for its five city council seats in November of even-numbered
years. More information on the transition can be found at www.fostercity.org/districtelections.
This November, voters will elect City Council Members for Districts 1 and 2 for four-year terms ending in 2030. Foster City’s General Municipal Election is consolidated with other Consolidated Elections in San Mateo County, and this consolidation is approved by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. A service agreement is executed between the City of Foster City and the County of San Mateo for election services. The service agreement puts forth the duties that the City Clerk and County Assessor, Clerk- Recorder and Elections office will perform. The resolution calling the election authorizes the City Clerk to enter into the service agreement.
Candidates who qualify for nomination in the General Municipal Election and submit a Candidate Statement of Qualifications to be published and distributed in the sample ballot will be governed by City Resolution No. 2023-102, which indicates that the word count of the statement cannot exceed 200 words, and that the candidate will cover the cost of publication, translation, and related services.
As noted in Attachment 2, the reorganization meeting for the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election will take place at the regular meeting on December 7, 2026.
On December 7, 2026 the City Council would consider adopting a resolution certifying the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election results and hold the reorganization installing newly elected Councilmembers and selecting the new Mayor and Vice Mayor.
Per Elections Code 10263, for a consolidated election, the governing body shall meet at its usual place of meeting no later than the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting following presentation of the 28-day canvass of the returns, or at a special meeting called for this purpose, to declare the results and to install the newly elected officers.
California Environmental Quality Act
Not Applicable
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $45,000, which includes costs associated with City Council vacancies, one member each for Districts 1 and 2, has been added to the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 in the Municipal Elections account and is pending City Council approval, per adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget at the June 15, 2026 City Council meeting.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
City Council Operations and Improved Community Engagement ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Important Dates