City of San Mateo Measure F — Charter Amendment Measure (San Mateo County)

What it does

Shall the measure amending the City of San Mateo’s Charter to reflect the City’s current district-based election system, update the process for scheduling Council meetings and filling Council vacancies, update or remove obsolete provisions, and make other technical and conforming changes, be adopted?

A YES vote means

San Mateo's charter would reflect its current district-based elections, update how Council meetings are scheduled and vacancies filled, and remove or update obsolete provisions.

A NO vote means

San Mateo's charter would not be updated in these ways.

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 San Mateo City Council placed this set of City Charter amendments on the ballot; Charter changes require approval by a majority of city voters, according to the City Attorney's impartial analysis.

The Charter still says Council members are elected at large, though the Council adopted district elections by ordinance in 2021 to comply with the California Voting Rights Act and held district elections in 2022 and 2024; the amendment would update the Charter to match, provide for redrawing districts after each federal census, and remove outdated provisions about Council members elected in 2015 and 2017.

Other changes would extend the time to fill a Council vacancy from 30 to 60 days, extend from 30 to 60 days the continuous absence from the city that forfeits a Council seat without permission, let the Council set its meeting schedule by resolution, and allow publishing summaries of emergency ordinances instead of full text.

Put on the ballot by San Mateo City Council (2026).

From official source.

Next elections here

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

Also on San Mateo County ballots

• City of Belmont Measure Y — Special Tax Measure
• City of Brisbane Measure X — Business License Tax Measure
• City of East Palo Alto Measure O — Bond Measure
• City of East Palo Alto Measure CC — Term Limits Measure
• City of Half Moon Bay Measure I — Coastal Land Use Measure
• City of Half Moon Bay Measure Q — Housing Initiative Measure
• City of Menlo Park Measure P — Citizen Initiative to Amend Municipal Code
• City of Pacifica Measure BB — Transactions and Use Tax Measure
• Town of Portola Valley Measure N — Town Charter and Property Transfer Tax Measure
• City of Redwood City Measure E — Rent Control and Eviction Limits Initiative
• City of San Bruno Measure S — Housing Permits and Developments Measure
• City of San Bruno Measure DD — Fireworks Ban Measure
• City of San Bruno Measure EE — Business License Tax Measure
• City of San Carlos Measure G — Transactions and Use Tax Measure
• City of San Mateo Measure H — Transactions and Use Tax Measure

All San Mateo County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of San Mateo Measure F mean?

San Mateo's charter would reflect its current district-based elections, update how Council meetings are scheduled and vacancies filled, and remove or update obsolete provisions.

What does a NO vote on City of San Mateo Measure F mean?

San Mateo's charter would not be updated in these ways.

How many votes does City of San Mateo Measure F 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 San Mateo Measure F?

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.