District Elections Overview
- The City of San Ramon has changed how City Council Members are elected and switched from an at-large election system to a district-based election system.
- In 2019, the City's new by-district election system created new geographic boundaries for the City’s four (4) districts.
- Voters in each district select one council representative who also lives in that district.
- Voters citywide will vote for the Mayoral seat.
How will by-district elections work?
Voters will only vote for the City Council seat up for election in their own district.
How do I find out what district I live in?
Residents can look up their district by accessing the District Map on-line at: www.sanramon.ca.gov/findyourdistrict. If you do not have access to a computer, contact the City Clerk’s Office (925) 973-2539 or in person at the San Ramon City Hall, City Clerk’s Office, 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road.
Will I have a new polling location?
The City of San Ramon consolidates its elections with the County of Contra Costa to administer the election. Voters can find their polling location on-line at Contra Costa County Elections.
What is the difference between by-district elections and previous at-large elections?
In the past, all City Council Members were elected at‑large, meaning every registered voter in the City could vote for every Council seat, regardless of where they lived.
Under the by‑district election system, voters now only vote for the Council Member who represents the district in which they live. Districts 1 and 3 transitioned first, with voters in those districts electing their own representatives beginning November 3, 2020. Council Members in Districts 2 and 4 continued to serve at‑large until their terms ended in November 2022, at which point those seats also transitioned to district-based elections.
Why the change to district-based elections?
The City of San Ramon received a letter in November of 2018 on behalf of the Bay Area Voting Rights Initiative (BAVRI) asserting “… at-large voting dilutes minority electoral influence in the election of each of the legislative bodies in the San Ramon Valley, thus violating Elections Code Section 14047.” The demand letter to San Ramon and other governmental agencies urged the City of San Ramon to implement district elections or risk being sued.
Who created the district boundaries?
Draft District Maps were developed following three opportunities for the public to comment on how they would like to see the community divided into Districts for District-based City Council Elections. On June 25, 2019, the City Council adopted Ordinance 490 changing the City's Electoral System from at-large to district-based elections, established the District Boundaries, and scheduling the elections within the district.