City of SLO's Move to Citywide Single Vote

Background

Beginning with the November 2026 election, the City of San Luis Obispo will elect City Council Members using a system called Citywide Single Vote. Under this system, each voter selects one candidate, and the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected. The Mayor’s election remains unchanged.

The San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder is planning to conduct the November 2026 election that includes the City’s Council contests as part of the countywide consolidated election.

The following information clarifies the respective roles of the City of San Luis Obispo and the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office.

FAQs

Who is responsible for the City of San Luis Obispo’s municipal elections?

• The City Clerk for the City of San Luis Obispo is the City’s elections official.
• Cities are responsible for administering their own municipal elections unless those elections are consolidated with the county election.

Is the SLO County Clerk-Recorder the City’s elections official?

No.

The SLO County Clerk-Recorder is the elections official for county elections, not for the City of San Luis Obispo. When the County administers City contests, it does so through a consolidated election arrangement, which allows multiple jurisdictions to appear on the same ballot.

Will the County conduct the City’s November 2026 election?

Yes.

The SLO County Clerk-Recorder plans to conduct the November 2026 election, including the City of San Luis Obispo’s City Council contests using the Citywide Single Vote system adopted by the City.

Citywide Single Vote can be administered using the County’s existing election systems and procedures as part of the consolidated election.

Did the County decide to adopt Citywide Single Vote?

No.

The decision to adopt Citywide Single Vote was made by the City of San Luis Obispo. Cities have the authority to determine the method used to elect their municipal officials.

Did the City consider ranked-choice voting?

Yes.

The City evaluated multiple election system options, including ranked-choice voting, before ultimately adopting Citywide Single Vote.

Why would ranked-choice voting be difficult for the County to administer on behalf of the City?

Because it would essentially require conducting a separate election alongside the countywide election. The SLO County Clerk-Recorder does not have the physical, financial, or human resources necessary to administer ranked-choice voting solely for the City of San Luis Obispo. Implementing ranked-choice voting for only one jurisdiction would require different election systems, tabulation software, processes, controls, and auditing procedures that are not part of the County’s current election infrastructure.

Administering ranked-choice voting only for the City would require:

• Different ballot tabulation systems
• Separate election procedures and testing
• Separate auditing and reporting processes
• Additional staffing and operational resources
• Separate administrative controls and training

The County currently conducts elections for many jurisdictions simultaneously using a single certified voting system and uniform procedures. Running a different election model for one jurisdiction would require operating parallel election systems.

Could the City conduct ranked-choice voting on its own if it chose to?

Yes.

Cities have the authority to conduct their own municipal elections. If the City were to adopt ranked-choice voting in the future, it could determine how those elections would be administered.

Key Points

• The City of San Luis Obispo chose to adopt Citywide Single Vote for its City Council elections.
• The SLO County Clerk-Recorder plans to administer the November 2026 election, including the City’s contests, as part of the consolidated countywide election.
• The County is able to conduct Citywide Single Vote using existing election infrastructure.
• The County does not have the resources or systems to conduct ranked-choice voting solely for the City, because doing so would require operating a separate election system alongside the countywide election.
• Cities have the authority to determine how their municipal elections are conducted.

More info can be obtained from the City of SLO at Citywide Single Vote for Council Members | City of San Luis Obispo, CA