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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.