San Mateo County Measure AA — Charter Amendment: Affirmation of Rights

What it does

Shall the San Mateo County Charter be amended to add a provision to the Charter Preamble affirming the County’s commitment to the dignity, civil rights, and equal protection of all County residents?

A YES vote means

San Mateo County's Charter Preamble would affirm the County's commitment to the dignity, civil rights and equal protection of all County residents.

A NO vote means

San Mateo County's Charter Preamble would not add this statement.

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

San Mateo County's Charter requires the Board of Supervisors to convene a charter review committee every eight years; the 2026 Charter Review Committee, appointed in December 2025 and January 2026, reported its recommendations to the Board on April 27, 2026.

According to that report, the committee voted 13–2, with 2 absent, to recommend adding to the Charter Preamble a statement affirming the County's commitment to 'the dignity, civil rights, and equal participation of all residents'; the measure the Board placed on the ballot uses the words 'equal protection of all County residents.'

If approved, the Preamble would add: 'The County of San Mateo affirms its commitment to the dignity, civil rights, and equal protection of all County residents in a manner that promotes equity, fairness, inclusion, belonging, accessibility, and opportunity.'

The Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance 4920 and Resolution 081882, placing this and three other charter amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot, 5–0 on its consent agenda on June 9, 2026.

Put on the ballot by San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, 5–0, June 9, 2026 (Ordinance 4920; Resolution 081882), on recommendation of the 2026 Charter Review Committee.

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3.

Next elections here

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

Also on San Mateo County ballots

• San Mateo County Measure L — Charter Amendment: Extreme Weather Events
• San Mateo County Measure J — Charter Amendment: Extension to Call a Special Election or Appoint
• San Mateo County Measure U — Charter Amendment: Reapportionment of Supervisorial Districts

All San Mateo County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on San Mateo County Measure AA mean?

San Mateo County's Charter Preamble would affirm the County's commitment to the dignity, civil rights and equal protection of all County residents.

What does a NO vote on San Mateo County Measure AA mean?

San Mateo County's Charter Preamble would not add this statement.

How many votes does San Mateo County Measure AA 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 San Mateo County Measure AA?

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.