San Luis Obispo adopts citywide "single vote" method for council elections

San Luis Obispo City Council has adopted a citywide "single vote" method for council elections, the city announced. Under the change, voters will cast one vote for council member candidates; the two candidates who receive the most votes citywide will be elected. "Starting this year, you'll vote for one council member candidate instead of two," the presenter said.

The change does not affect the mayoral contest, which remains a single-seat vote. The city warned voters that if they select more than one council member candidate in the race, "your vote in that race won't count." The city also said all registered voters will continue to participate in every council election held every two years.

City officials described the move as a negotiated compromise reached after the city received a 2023 letter from the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project alleging that the city's at-large election system violated the California Voting Rights Act. The city evaluated three responses: adjust citywide voting, adopt district-based elections, or litigate. Officials said district-based elections could reduce citywide participation and that local demographic data did not show concentrations of minority voters in particular neighborhoods.

Presenter explained the city spent nearly two years negotiating with voting-rights advocates rather than entering what the presenter characterized as a costly legal fight. The presenter said some minority leaders raised concerns that dividing the city into districts could reduce a minority group's opportunity to elect a preferred candidate; the presenter also cited the low historical success rate of California Voting Rights Act litigation as part of the city's calculus.

The city held public hearings on the proposal in November 2024 and January 2026 before adopting the change. The city said it will review how the new system performs after the 2026 and 2028 council elections and may consider districts or another alternative if the data indicate a better option. The presenter summarized the rationale: the change preserves citywide participation, prevents any single group from boosting multiple candidates, and encourages citywide coalition-building among voters.

For more information, the presenter directed listeners to the city's online information page and closed with a reminder to "vote for one, the top two win."