Agenda Item #13.11
For Council Meeting of: June 2, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DINA MANIS, CITY CLERK
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE
SUBJECT: GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION – NOVEMBER 3, 2026: CALLING THE ELECTION, REQUESTING CONSOLIDATION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION AND ADOPTING REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO CANDIDATE STATEMENTS AGENDA ACTION: TWO RESOLUTIONS
RECOMMENDATION
The City Clerk recommends that the Council, by two resolutions: 1) call and request to consolidate the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election for the elective offices for Council Districts 2, 4, and 6 with the Statewide General Election; and 2) adopt regulations pertaining to candidate statements as required by Elections Code Sections 13307 and 13308.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Santa Rosa has historically consolidated its general municipal elections with statewide general elections and contracted with the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters for election services. The purpose of this item is to (1) request the County Board of Supervisors consolidate this year’s General Municipal Election for the elective offices for Council Districts 2, 4, and 6 with the Statewide General Election to be held on November 3, 2026; and (2) adopt regulations pertaining to candidate statements as required by Elections Code Sections 13307 and 13308.
GOAL
This item is a legal mandate and is compliant with California Elections Code and Santa Rosa City Charter and City Code.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
City Charter Section 30 provides that the City’s General Municipal Election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year. This year's General Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the same date as the Statewide General Election. The Charter further requires that unless in conflict with the Charter, elections be conducted pursuant to the election laws of the state as the same relate to municipal elections.
This year’s General Municipal Election will be for the elective offices for Council Districts 2, 4, and 6. Candidates elected to Districts 2, 4, and 6 will serve a term of four (4) years, until their successors are qualified following the November 2030 election.
ANALYSIS
Pursuant to the California Elections Code, the Council must adopt certain resolutions for the conduct of municipal elections. The proposed resolutions call and give notice of the General Municipal Election, request the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors consolidate the General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election, and adopt regulations for candidates for elective office pertaining to candidate statements.
The City of Santa Rosa has historically consolidated its general municipal elections with statewide general elections and contracted with the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters for election services. The Registrar of Voters Office is currently under contract with the City to provide these services through December 31, 2027. In accordance with Elections Code Section 10403, the City Clerk recommends the City Council adopt a resolution requesting the County Board of Supervisors to consolidate this year’s General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election to be held on November 3, 2026.
Elections Code Section 13307 provides that the Council may adopt regulations pertaining to candidate statements. A resolution adopting such regulations has been prepared, which contains general provisions, provisions related to foreign language translation, a provision prohibiting the inclusion of additional materials other than a candidate’s statement in the ballot package, and provisions regarding payment by the candidate for that person’s pro rata share of the total cost of printing, handling, translating, and mailing candidate statements.
Generally, candidate statements are limited to 200 words. Section 13307 authorizes the Council to increase the limit to 400 words; however, staff recommends the word count for the candidate statements be set at 200 words per statement consistent with previous elections and Santa Rosa City Code Chapter 10-33.
Sonoma County has been officially designated a bilingual county due to the results of census data. This means that all candidate statements for all elections going forward will be provided in both English and Spanish. The estimated cost for candidate statements for the November 3, 2026, election is as follows:
Office/Jurisdiction
Preliminary Estimated Costs
Santa Rosa City Council, Dist. 2
$1,400
Santa Rosa City Council, Dist. 4
$900
Santa Rosa City Council, Dist. 6
$950
Additionally, all ballots and all voter information guides that include instructions, measures, arguments, etc., will provide all text in both English and Spanish.
While the Council could elect to subsidize all or a portion of the cost for the candidate statements, the City Clerk recommends that, consistent with previous elections, the Council continue to require each candidate to pay their full pro rata share of the cost to print the candidate statements. In addition, Santa Rosa City Code Chapter 10-33 provides for the inclusion of candidate information on the City’s website and an election mailer at no cost to the candidate if the candidate agrees to a voluntary campaign spending limit of $71,804.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters provided an estimated cost of the City Council district-based elections of $600,000 if consolidated with the statewide election. The estimated cost was based on the most recent annexation, voter registration report and initiative ballot measure item, and the services needed to hold a district-based councilmember election. Funding for this expenditure based on consolidation is included in the proposed FY 2026-2027 City Council Budget under professional services.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the recommended action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the recommended action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the recommended action may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Election Calendar
Resolution - Calling General Municipal Election and Requesting Consolidation of the Election with the Statewide General Election Resolution - Adopting Regulations Pertaining to Candidate Statements
PRESENTER
Dina Manis, City Clerk
GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION – NOVEMBER 3, 2026: CALLING THE ELECTION, REQUESTING CONSOLIDATION WITH THE STATEWIDE GENERAL ELECTION AND ADOPTING REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO CANDIDATE STATEMENTS