Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
San Luis Obispo officials outline switch to citywide single-vote system, start voter-education campaign
Summary
City staff said the council adopted a citywide single-vote system for council-member elections, effective with the Nov. 3, 2026 election, to address California Voting Rights Act concerns and avoid costly litigation; officials detailed outreach, Spanish-language materials, and a post-2026 evaluation plan.
San Luis Obispo city officials announced a change to how voters will cast ballots for council members beginning with the Nov. 3, 2026, election, saying the city has adopted a citywide single-vote system in response to legal concerns and demographic analysis and will roll out an education campaign to make sure ballots are filled out correctly.
"We want to explain what is changing, what is staying the same, how we got here, and what it means for you all as voters," Whitney McDonald, San Luis Obispo city manager, said as she opened the informational session. City staff emphasized the practical rule voters must remember: select one council-member candidate; the two candidates with the most votes will win the two open seats.
City Attorney Christine Dietrich told attendees the change grew out of two demand letters under the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA), the state law…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
