San Mateo County Measure J — Charter Amendment: Extension to Call a Special Election or Appoint

What it does

Shall the San Mateo County Charter be amended to extend the period in which the County Board of Supervisors is required to either call a special election or make an appointment in the event of a vacancy in an elected office other than the Board of Supervisors from 30 days to 60 days, and to require the Board to conduct at least one public meeting to receive public comment prior to any appointment?

A YES vote means

San Mateo County Supervisors would have 60 days instead of 30 to call a special election or appoint someone when an elected office (other than Supervisor) becomes vacant, and would have to hold at least one public meeting for comment before an appointment.

A NO vote means

The deadline would stay 30 days, and no public meeting would be required before an appointment.

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 County Charter requires the Board of Supervisors to convene a Charter Review Committee every eight years; the 2026 committee met eight times between January and April 2026 and voted 15–1, with one absent, to recommend this change to Section 415, according to its report to the Board.

Under the current Charter, when an elected county office other than the Board of Supervisors becomes vacant, the Board has 30 days to appoint someone or call a special election; the amendment would extend that to 60 days and require at least one noticed public meeting to take public comment before any appointment.

If the Board does not act within 60 days, the county elections officer would immediately order a special election, as the amended Section 415 provides.

The Board of Supervisors voted 5–0 on June 9, 2026 to adopt Ordinance 4920 and Resolution 081882, placing this and three other Charter amendments on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

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

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 AA — Charter Amendment: Affirmation of Rights
• 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 J mean?

San Mateo County Supervisors would have 60 days instead of 30 to call a special election or appoint someone when an elected office (other than Supervisor) becomes vacant, and would have to hold at least one public meeting for comment before an appointment.

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

The deadline would stay 30 days, and no public meeting would be required before an appointment.

How many votes does San Mateo County Measure J 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 J?

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.