December 16, 2025
City Clerk's Office
DATE: December 16, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Pamela Christian, City Clerk
Subject:
Calling for the November 2026 Primary Municipal Election FINANCIAL IMPACT: As of September 8, 2025, the total number of registered voters in the City of Richmond is 59,580. For the June 2, 2025, Primary Election, the cost estimate to conduct the City Council component of the Primary Municipal Election is between $2.50 - $3.00 per registered voter.
Accordingly, the estimated cost to hold the Council
election is $185,000. If there is one or more municipal initiatives being placed on the ballot for the June 2, 2026, primary election, the major cost driver for initiatives is the number of pages to be printed in the Sample Ballot
Booklet. It is estimated that a measure with 10 pages
would cost between $8,000 – $10,000. The City Clerk’s
Office budget (Account String 01141013 – 400294) was
increased to cover the cost of the election.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The full four-year terms for the mayor and three
councilmembers will expire on January 12, 2027.
Pursuant to Section 3 of Article III of the City Charter, an election must be held on the first Tuesday in June of
each even-numbered year to fill the expired seats.
AGENDA
REPORT
December 16, 2025
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution: (1) Calling and Giving Notice of the holding of a Primary Municipal Election to be held on
Tuesday, June 2, 2026, for the election of certain officers as required by the provisions of the Charter of the City of Richmond; (2) requesting the Board of Supervisors of
Contra Costa County to consolidate the Primary
Municipal Election with the Statewide Primary Election; and (3) adopting regulations for candidates pertaining to the candidates’ statements submitted to the voters, cost of the candidates’ statements and other fees, word limit for candidates’ statements; and actions to be taken for a tie vote – City Clerk’s Office (Pamela Christian 510-620- 6513).
DISCUSSION:
The full four-year terms for the mayor and three councilmembers will expire on January 12, 2027. At the General Municipal Election held on November 5, 2024, the electorate approved Measure J (Richmond Election Reform Action) to improve accountability, governance, and strengthen representation in the City of Richmond.
Measure J requires the City of Richmond to hold a primary municipal election Pursuant to updates and additions to Article III of the City Charter. The addition of a primary municipal election to the City’s election process will allow City voters to better scrutinize and select qualified candidates, encourage candidates to be more responsive to the residents of the city, and may increase voter participation. Any candidate for an elective office who receives a majority of the total votes cast for that office during the June primary general election, shall be elected to such office and no further election for that office will be held at the subsequent November general municipal election.
A resolution to call and hold a June 2, 2026, Primary Municipal Election must be filed with the County Elections Department no later than January 28, 2026.
Approval of this item will adopt the required resolution to call and hold the June 2, 2026, Primary Municipal election.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution Calling for the June 2, 2026, Primary Municipal Election