Charter Amendments
Ballot Measure
July 20, 2026
Prasanna W. Rasiah
City Attorney
Recommendation
• Adopt a Resolution to:
• place a measure on the ballot to revise the City Charter to reflect the change to district elections, update the process for scheduling Council meetings and filling Council vacancies, and update or remove various other provisions that are outdated,
• appropriate $20,400 for related election costs, and
• authorize two members of the City Council to submit arguments 2 of 12
Dates Purpose
March 16, 2026 Council Study Session – Completed
April 6, 2026 First Public Hearing – Completed
May 18, 2026 Second Public Hearing – Completed
July 20, 2026 Council consideration of measure - Tonight August 7, 2026 88 days before election
November 3, 2026 Election Day
Current Schedule
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Ballot Question
Shall the measure amending the City of San Mateo’s Charter to reflect the City’s current district-based election system, update the process for scheduling Council meetings and filling Council vacancies, update or remove obsolete provisions, and make other technical and conforming changes, be adopted?
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Procedural Components
• Requires a simple majority to pass
• Synopsis to be published in lieu of full text in ballot pamphlet (complete copy on City website & provided upon request) • Impartial analysis to be prepared by City Attorney
• If voters approve, must be filed with the Secretary of State 5 of 12
District Elections There shall be a city council of five members elected by the voters of the city at large at large by districts. Any recall election or special election or appointment to fill a vacancy shall also be by district.
Following each decennial federal census, and at other
such times as provided by law, the city council shall, by ordinance, adopt boundaries for all council districts so that all of the districts shall comply with state and
federal law.
The term of office of any councilmember who has been
elected and whose term of office has not expired shall
not be affected by any change in the boundaries of the
district from which the councilmember was elected.
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Councilmembers Elected in 2017
Provisions applicable to the councilmembers elected at the general municipal election held in 2015 and the councilmembers elected at the general municipal election held in 2017…. • Would remove language extending Council member terms by one year for those elected in 2015 & 2017
• Five-year terms are complete. No longer needed.
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Councilmember Absence from the City
Any councilmember shall forfeit
his/her office who…(2) is absent
from the city continuously for
more than 30 60 days without
permission of a majority of the
remaining councilmembers….
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Filling Council Vacancies – Pt. 1
A vacancy on the city council from
whatever cause arising shall be filled by
appointment by the council provided,
that if the council fails to agree or for
any other reason does not fill such
vacancy within 30 60 days after the
same occurs, then such vacancy shall
be filled by the mayor.
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Filling Council Vacancies – Pt. 2
The appointee shall hold office until the next general election, when a successor shall be chosen by the electors for the unexpired term. If for any reason the seats of a majority of the council become vacant, then the city clerk shall call a special election at once to fill the vacancies for the unexpired terms, and the same shall be conducted substantially in the manner provided for general municipal elections.
The candidates receiving the most votes shall serve the longer, if any, of the unexpired terms, and in case of ties the terms shall be fixed by lot.
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Council Meeting Start Time
…The regular meetings of the council shall be held on the first and third Monday of each month not earlier than 6:30 p.m. at a time specified by resolution, but any regular meeting may be adjourned to a date and time certain, which adjourned meeting shall be a regular meeting for all purposes. The council may, in its discretion, change the date of any regularly scheduled Monday council meeting which would fall on a holiday or other inconvenient day to the nearest convenient day subsequent to the regularly scheduled Monday council meeting. 11 of 12
Emergency (Urgency) Ordinances
…In lieu of publishing the full text of an
emergency ordinance, a summary thereof
may be published in the same manner as
other ordinances. Every such ordinance,
except one for emergency appropriations
or calling an election, shall automatically
stand repealed as of the ninety-first day
following the date on which it was adopted,
but this shall not prevent reenactment of
the ordinance if the emergency still exists.
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Selection of Finance Director – Process & Title
There shall be a city treasurer/fiscal finance
director who shall be appointed by the city
manager, subject to approval by the city council,
and who shall serve at the pleasure of the city
manager as the head of the finance department.
The treasurer/fiscal finance director shall…
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Verified Statement of Candidates
Amendment would remove
1922-era language requiring
certain information to be
filed with the Clerk
Specified biographical information,
business/ civic group involvement,
experience, photograph, etc.
Candidates would instead rely on mailings,
Internet, social media; can also submit
statement in voter information guide.
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Selection of Newspaper for Publication of Notices –
Delete In Its Entirety
The council periodically shall advertise for or call for the submission of sealed proposals or bids from all newspapers adjudicated to be newspapers of general circulation with in the city, or if none, then from newspapers adjudicated to be newspapers of general circulation within with in the County of San Mateo, for the publication of all ordinances and other legal notices required to be published. The council may designate the requirements for award of contract.
The contract therefor shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, provided the rates for such publication shall not exceed the customary rate charged for publishing legal notices of a private character. The newspaper to whom such contract is awarded shall be known and designated as the official city newspaper. 15 of 12
Recommendation
• Adopt a Resolution to:
• place a measure on the ballot to revise the City Charter to reflect the change to district elections, update the process for scheduling Council meetings and filling Council vacancies, and update or remove various other provisions that are outdated,
• appropriate $20,400 for related election costs, and
• authorize Council Members _________ and __________ to submit arguments
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