Los Altos City Council Approves Ordinance to Transition to District-Based Elections Starting in 2026

Los Altos, Calif. — November 16, 2024 — The Los Altos City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night (Nov. 12) to approve an ordinance moving Los Altos to a district-based system for electing City Council members. This ordinance establishes the boundaries for five new districts, sets the election schedule beginning in November 2026, and outlines residency requirements for potential candidates.

The first district-based elections will begin in November 2026 with Districts 2 and 4. Elections for Districts 1, 3, and 5 will take place in November 2028.

Moving forward, Los Altos voters will only vote for a Council member representing their district rather than selecting all five members of the City’s legislative body. Candidates must reside within the district they seek to represent, and must have lived in that district for at least 30 days prior to filing their nomination papers for election.

This change resulted from a notification that Los Altos was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act, which challenged the City's previous at-large election system, arguing racial polarization and vote dilution.

Residents can view the approved map on losaltosca.gov/Districts.

Please direct media inquiries to Public Information Officer Sonia Lee at (650) 947-2611 or slee@losaltosca.gov.