City of Berkeley Measure W — Charter Amendment Measure (Alameda County)

What it does

Shall the measure amending the City Charter to reduce candidate filing fees; eliminate signatures in lieu of filing fee process; eliminate certain personal information from candidate statements; clarify and revise initiative, referendum and recall processes; amend election timelines for filling Mayor and Councilmember vacancies; increase the maximum amount from the public campaign financing fund for administration and enforcement from $250,000 to $400,000 per four-year election cycle; and make other changes be adopted?

A YES vote means

Berkeley's charter would lower candidate filing fees, end the signatures-instead-of-fee option, revise initiative, referendum, recall and vacancy timelines, and raise the public campaign fund's administration cap from $250,000 to $400,000 per four-year cycle, among other changes.

A NO vote means

Berkeley's charter rules on filing fees, petitions, vacancies and the public campaign fund would stay as they are.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

The Berkeley City Council placed this charter amendment on the ballot by Resolution No. 72,337-N.S., adopted June 16, 2026 with no votes against, according to the resolution filed with the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

The resolution describes the measure as amending certain administrative provisions of the City Charter, including candidate filing fees and statements, initiative, referendum and recall procedures to align with state law, and timelines for filling Mayor and Council vacancies; it needs a simple majority.

Put on the ballot by Berkeley City Council, June 16, 2026 (Resolution No. 72,337-N.S.; no votes against).

From official source.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Alameda County ballots

• City of Alameda Measure L — GO Bond Measure
• City of Alameda Measure M — Charter Amendment - Amend And Repeal Outdated Provisions
• City of Alameda Measure N — Charter Amendment - Leases And Sales Of Real Property Measure
• City of Albany Measure O — Requirement To Zoning Changes Measure
• City of Albany Measure P — Street Paving And Storm Drain Parcel Tax Measure
• City of Albany Measure Q — EMS, ALS, Fire Protection Parcel Tax Measure
• City of Albany Measure R — Business License Tax Measure
• City of Albany Measure S — Real Property Transfer Tax Measure
• City of Albany Measure T — Street Trees & Streetlighting Parcel Tax Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure U — Bond Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure V — Sales Tax Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure X — Rent Ordinance Amendment Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure Y — Initiative - Arts Tax Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure Z — Initiative - Public Bank Measure
• City of Berkeley Measure AA — Initiative - Soda Tax Measure
• City of Emeryville Measure BB — Business Tax Measure

All Alameda County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Berkeley Measure W mean?

Berkeley's charter would lower candidate filing fees, end the signatures-instead-of-fee option, revise initiative, referendum, recall and vacancy timelines, and raise the public campaign fund's administration cap from $250,000 to $400,000 per four-year cycle, among other changes.

What does a NO vote on City of Berkeley Measure W mean?

Berkeley's charter rules on filing fees, petitions, vacancies and the public campaign fund would stay as they are.

How many votes does City of Berkeley Measure W need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City of Berkeley Measure W?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.