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San Luis Obispo Council adopts citywide single‑vote election method as part of settlement with voting‑rights group
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Summary
After multi‑year negotiations, the City Council unanimously introduced an ordinance to move from a 'vote for two' system to a citywide single‑vote method starting in November 2026 as part of a settlement with SVREP; council committed to a phased bilingual voter education effort and limits on future consultant payments.
The San Luis Obispo City Council voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance implementing a citywide single‑vote method for council elections, a change negotiated in settlement with the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP).
City Attorney Christine Dietrich framed the move as a negotiated alternative to district elections and said the method ‘‘is essentially the transition from the current vote for two to a single‑vote, vote for one to elect two system.’’ The ordinance formalizes ballot instructions and gives the county elections official clear guidance to administer the measure in November 2026 and subsequent elections unless the council later decides to pursue districts.
The change follows a demand letter under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and nearly two years of settlement negotiations. As part of the agreement, the city agreed to limited payments to SVREP, including a $75,000 attorney fee and an allowance for outreach support not to exceed $10,000 per election cycle. The settlement also requires periodic data analysis after the 2026 and 2028 elections; if those analyses suggest the single‑vote method does not meet the settlement goals, the council may consider a transition to district elections under the agreement's dispute‑resolution procedures.
County elections staff warned council members that voter education will be critical. Elena Kano, San Luis Obispo County Clerk‑Recorder, said there is no practical mechanism to ‘cure’ an overvote on a returned ballot: "If a ballot instructs voters to vote for one and a voter marks two, that is an overvote and that contest will be adjudicated; if we cannot determine intent, that contest is not counted." Council members and staff said the city will roll out a three‑phase bilingual multimedia outreach campaign and partner with local organizations, including the Latino Outreach Council and the Chamber of Commerce, to reach infrequent voters.
Supporters in the audience urged the council to move forward. Andy Pease, representing the Latino Outreach Council, said the single‑vote method provides a practical, lower‑cost way to address alleged vote dilution while enabling broad outreach: "We applaud the city's effort to have inclusive engagement as part of this work." The Chamber of Commerce also offered to assist with outreach.
Council members framed the ordinance as a way to avoid costly litigation and preserve broad at‑large voter engagement, while committing to monitor outcomes. The ordinance was introduced for later adoption (the council will return for final adoption at a subsequent meeting). The roll call to introduce the ordinance passed 5–0.
Next steps include formal adoption, publication of ordinance summary and ballot instructions, and the expanded bilingual voter education plan staff will present to council ahead of the 2026 consolidated election.
