San Luis Obispo to Use New Voting System for Election

Voters will select only one candidate for two available City Council seats in the November 3 general election.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in City Hall

San Luis Obispo to Use New Voting System for Election

Live Poll

Do you support limiting your vote to a single candidate for multi-seat local council elections?

In the upcoming November 3 general election, San Luis Obispo voters will utilize the Citywide Single Vote system to fill two City Council seats. This change requires residents to choose only one candidate for the two available positions.

Why it matters

The city adopted this system to settle a legal dispute involving the California Voting Rights Act, which alleged that the previous method of selecting two candidates diluted Latino voting power.

Three candidates are competing for the two open seats, which carry four-year terms. Marking more than one choice on the ballot will invalidate that portion of the voter's selection.

The players

Emily Francis

She is one of three candidates competing for a position on the San Luis Obispo City Council.

Michelle Shoresman

She is a candidate for the City Council with 24 years of experience.

Brett Cross

He is a candidate seeking election to the City Council.

Southwest Voter Registration Education Project

This organization challenged the city's previous voting system regarding Latino voting power.

The details

The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes will win the available seats on the council. This shift marks a departure from the historical practice of allowing voters to select up to two candidates in a single contest.

The November 3, 2026 general election will feature the new voting system.
City officials will conduct evaluations of the system in 2026 and 2028.

Political Context

The transition to the Citywide Single Vote system is a direct response to claims that the previous multi-choice method impeded fair representation. Opponents of such electoral reforms often argue that limiting choices restricts voter autonomy in non-partisan municipal races.

Residents must strictly limit their selection to one candidate to ensure their vote counts correctly for the two seats. Filling in more than one bubble will result in an invalidated ballot portion for the council race.

The takeaway

Voters should be mindful that the ballot process has changed significantly since the last election cycle. Checking official election materials before voting is the best way to ensure compliance with the new single-choice requirement.