Citywide Single Vote for Council Members

Vote for one. Top two win.

Ludwick Community Center in the background with Citywide Single Vote Community Meeting in text.

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. This page contains all the information you need to make your vote count in the next Council Member election.

Beginning with the November 2026 election, Council Members will be elected using Citywide Single Vote, a simple and familiar approach where voters select one Council Member candidate and the top two vote-getters win. Many voters already vote this way, and this change ensures that every voter can participate in every Council Member election and support the candidate who best represents them from across the San Luis Obispo.

After careful evaluation of multiple options and public input, the City Council approved Citywide Single Vote as the best compromise for San Luis Obispo, aligning with the City’s broader efforts to create fair, inclusive and accessible local government.

Importantly, there is no change to the Mayoral election. Voters already choose one candidate for Mayor, and that will remain the same.

SIMPLE AND FAMILIAR

illustration of ballot with three candidates and one selected Citywide Single Vote is easy to understand and already familiar to many voters. In the last election, most voters already voted this way; about 70% of voters selected just one Council Member candidate, even when they had the option to choose two. There are no changes to the Mayoral election, which will continue to be decided by a single vote every two years.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

All voters get to continue participating in every Council Member election and may support the candidate who best represents them from across the City. And because each voter can support only one candidate, no single group can amplify multiple candidates at the same time, helping ensure every vote carries equal weight.

BEST COMPROMISE FOR SLO

Citywide Single Vote was not chosen lightly. The City Council evaluated several options and considered public input. District-based elections would limit voter participation and choice, and litigation would have been costly and risky. Ultimately, the City Council adopted this as the best option for SLO.

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT

Under Citywide Single Vote, making your vote count is simple:

Get to know the candidates and determine which one best represents your priorities.
Vote for one Council Member candidate on the ballot. If you vote for more than one Council candidate, your vote for City Council will not count.
Remember, the top two vote-getters win, and all voters participate citywide in every election.

Citywide Single Vote keeps elections for City Council accessible, familiar and fair, while ensuring every voter continues to have a voice in shaping San Luis Obispo’s future.

Text: Make Your Vote Count; illustration shows a valid ballot with only one candidate selected and an invalid ballot with more than one candidate selected

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Read the latest local election news, get answers to your burning questions and check back here regularly for voter education information.

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News

Save the Date: May 12 Community Meeting on Election Change
04/13/2026 9:45 AM
Mar 17 Council Meeting Recap
03/20/2026 12:20 PM
This Month: First Citywide Single Vote Community Meeting
03/11/2026 9:53 AM

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FAQ Box

What is changing about City Council elections?

The only thing that is changing about City Council elections in November 2026 is the way voters elect Council Members. The way voters elect the Mayor will remain the same.

Previously voters could select two Council Member candidates on the ballot. Beginning with the November 2026 election, voters must select one Council Member candidate on the ballot. The top two vote-getters for Council Member win.

What’s not changing: 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 and can choose from candidates all across the city. The County Clerk-Recorder runs all elections for jurisdictions in the County, including the City of San Luis Obispo elections.
What is Citywide Single Vote?

Citywide Single Vote for Council Members is a new way of electing Council Members starting with the November 2026 election.

It's simple and familiar to many voters, creates a level playing field for voter representation, and is approved by the City Council as the best fit for our community. For details, visit www.slocity.org/SingleVote.
What is the City Council?

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.
Can I still vote in every Council Member election?

Yes. All registered voters get to continue voting in every Council Member election every two years. All registered voters also get to select the candidate who best represents them from across the city.
How do I prevent any ballot errors?

It's important to make sure your vote counts! To prevent errors on the ballot, follow all instructions on the ballot.

When it's time to cast your vote for Council Member, choose ONE candidate. If you select more than one, your vote for Council Member will not count.
Why are elections for Council Members changing?

Citywide Single Vote was not chosen lightly. After receiving a letter from a voter advocacy group demanding that the City switch to by-district elections, the City evaluated three options: slightly adjusting citywide elections for Council Members, dividing San Luis Obispo into districts, or entering into a costly legal battle.

Citywide Single Vote allows voters to continue participate in every Council Member election and select the candidate who best represents them from across the City.

Alternatively, the City could have switched to by-district elections or decided to battle it out in court.
Why can I only vote for Council Member instead of two?

The Citywide Single Vote for Council Members is simple and familiar to many voters, creates a level playing field for voter representation, and is approved by the City Council as the best fit for our community.

Citywide Single Vote is easy to understand and already familiar to many voters. In the last election, most voters already vote this way; about 70% of voters selected just one Council Member candidate, even when they had the option to choose two. There are no changes to the Mayoral election, which will continue to be decided by a single vote every two years.

This voting method also creates a level playing field. All voters get to continue participating in every Council Member election and may support the candidate who best represents them from across the City. And because each voter can support only one candidate, no single group can amplify multiple candidates at the same time, helping ensure every vote carries equal weight.

But it’s important to understand that Citywide Single Vote was not chosen lightly. The City Council evaluated several options and considered public input. District-based elections would limit voter participation and choice, and litigation would have been costly and risky. Ultimately, the City Council adopted this as the best option for SLO.

More FAQs

ATTEND UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the date for voter education events, check back regularly for more outreach opportunities and sign up to get notified for events via email.

We will be hosting several community meetings about Citywide Single Vote for Council Members before the November 2026 election. Check back for more event details.

REGISTER AND BE READY

Make sure you’re registered and your information is up to date so you can vote successfully in the 2026 General Election.

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Background Information

Citywide Single Vote was not chosen lightly. The City spent years evaluating options through a collaborative public process.

Unlike most other cities in California, the City of San Luis Obispo is a Charter City. This means, we have a foundational legal document, called a Charter, which essentially serves as our local constitution. This also allows our City to have home-rule authority over municipal affairs. Only voters can approve a change to the City’s Charter. For more than 100 years, our Charter has required at-large (or Citywide) elections for City Council Members and the Mayor in San Luis Obispo.

The City received a letter in February 2023 from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project demanding that we switch from Citywide elections to by-district elections. The letter alleged that San Luis Obispo's Citywide elections violated the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA). This law was adopted by the State of California in 2001 to address voter dilution caused by racial polarization in at-large elections. It encourages cities with systems that dilute minority votes to switch to district-based elections.

Why Not Switch to Districts or Fight in Court?

District elections can be effective in some cities, but SLO’s demographics do not show clear benefits. Because minority communities are dispersed, districts could weaken coalition‑building and reduce voter participation by limiting individuals to only voting every four years. The City also heard from minority leaders in the community who did not support splitting San Luis Obispo into districts.

Litigation was also an option, but a risky one. No City has ever won a CVRA lawsuit, and some have spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars defending cases.

Rather than enter into the lengthy process of changing the City's Charter in order to switch to districts, or enter into costly litigation, the City spent almost two years negotiating with the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project to find a better alternative.

The City wants to protect minority voting rights and preserve communitywide collaboration, in line with our goals to create better access to City government and build a greater sense of belonging here.

A Careful Decision and Public Process

Although settlement negotiations were confidential, as required for litigation strategy, the City Council insisted that settlement terms be presented publicly. The proposed change was discussed at two public hearings, with community input, one in November 2024 and the other in January 2026.

At the November 2024 public hearing, community members expressed a range of views. Local Latine leaders raised concerns that district elections could unintentionally reduce representation because minority communities in SLO are not concentrated geographically. Other community members supported the shift to by-district voting. Others wanted the Council to consider alternatives, like ranked choice voting. At this hearing, the Council weighed all input and ultimately approved the settlement agreement for Citywide Single Vote, which a Superior Court judge finalized in January 2025.

The City Council again heard community input as part of a second public hearing in January 2026. Ultimately, the Council formally adopted this Citywide single voting method into the Municipal Code.

The City will review election outcomes after the 2026 and 2028 election cycles. If data shows the method is not serving voters well, the City can adjust course.

City of San Luis Obispo, CA

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Citywide Single Vote for Council Members

Vote for one. Top two win.

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Citywide Single Vote Community Meeting

Citywide Single Vote Community Meeting (Virtual)

Citywide Single Vote Community Meeting (In-Person)