The way community members elect Council Members is changing this year and the City of San Luis Obispo will be doing more to get the word out in the coming months.

The City Council is San Luis Obispo’s legislative body, made up of one elected mayor and four elected Council Members. Every two years, voters elect the Mayor and two of the four Council Members. However, this year, for the first time Council Members will now be elected through a Citywide Single Vote.

That means, instead of voting for up to two candidates, voters select one.

While many community members are already voting this way, the City wants to make sure every registered voter understands why this changed and how to make their vote count.

Here’s how to stay informed:

Visit and bookmark or save slocity.org/SingleVote.  The City just redesigned this webpage to provide more information to voters and eligible voters, including clear instructions, background information, related documents and links to register to vote and to check your voter status. This page will be updated regularly with upcoming events, news and links to the monthly e-newsletters.

Attend an upcoming community meeting   The City will host 6 Citywide Single Vote community meetings, some virtual and some in-person, this year. The first community meeting will provide background information about Citywide Single Vote, including why the City made this change, how the City will be getting the word out, and clear instructions for how to make your vote count. Save the date! The first community meeting will be held on Zoom on the evening of March 25, 2026.

Subscribe to Get our Election Newsletter Monthly  The City will publish monthly e-newsletters with important information for voters, election dates and deadlines, ways to get involved, where to meet up for discussions, and more! Get these e-newsletters by selecting "Citywide Single Vote Newsletter (monthly)" or get election news by selecting “Election Information”. at www.slocity.org/Subscribe.

Invite us to Your Neighborhood or Next Meeting  We’re taking this information to the road! Do you want us to host a presentation or information booth in your neighborhood? Are you part of an organization or community group that wants more information? Email us at voting@slocity.org to invite us to your neighborhood or next meeting.

Why Are Council Member Elections Changing?

For over a century, San Luis Obispo has elected City Council Members citywide, meaning voters can choose any candidate, no matter where they live within the city. This system is written into the City’s Charter, and only voters can change it. In 2023, the City received a legal demand to switch from citywide elections to district elections to comply with the California Voting Rights Act.

However, while districts may work in other communities, data and local community input indicate that switching from citywide elections to by-district elections would not benefit the voters of San Luis Obispo. Instead of fighting a lengthy and costly legal battle to keep things the same or dividing San Luis Obispo into districts, the City spent nearly two years negotiating a solution that protects minority voting rights while preserving citywide elections.

As an alternative to by-district elections, Citywide Single Vote was approved as the best compromise for San Luis Obispo because it is familiar, keeps elections citywide and allows community members to continue voting in every Council Member election for any candidate who best represents them from across the city.

After careful analysis and hearing a range of perspectives and holding public hearings in November 2024 and January 2026, the City Council formally adopted Citywide Single Vote into the Municipal Code. The City will review election results after the 2026 and 2028 elections and can make changes if the system is not serving voters well.

For more information, visit www.slocity.org/SingleVote. Sign up for updates via email at www.slocity.org/Subscribe. 

Media Contact: Whitney Szentesi, Public Communications Manager, 805.783.7716, wszentes@slocity.org