Advocacy

How the League Paved the Way

This major step forward for local democracy wouldn't have happened without grassroots power. Recognizing the vital stakes of how our communities are represented, the League of Women Voters of North and Central San Mateo County joined forces with the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County and partner organizations to lead a coordinated, county-wide advocacy push.

Our members worked tirelessly behind the scenes to champion this transparency reform:

• Published Joint Perspectives: We authored unified community statements across local media—including Coastside Buzz—explaining why an advisory model falls short and why a fully independent commission is standard best practice.

• Mobilized Public Testimony: We rallied residents from Daly City to the Coastside to submit letters, email their representatives, and speak directly to the Board of Supervisors during high-stakes public hearings.

• Demanded Accountability: We reminded county leadership that independent mapping removes inherent conflicts of interest, protects minority representation, and builds lasting public trust.

• Deep Local History: Our trusted status as a nonpartisan entity is why the County originally turned to the League to help independently vet the pool of community volunteers during the 2021 advisory mapping process. We used that firsthand experience to advocate for a permanent, structurally independent commission.

When the Leagues speak with one voice, our local leaders listen.  We'd also like to thank the members of the Charter Review Committee for their work and Thrive Alliance, ACLU, San Francisco Peninsul People Power, Belle Haven Empowered, and Belmont Neighbors Against Racism for their support. This ballot placement is a testament to the power of community-driven advocacy. We are incredibly proud of our volunteers and neighbors who stood up to protect fair maps in San Mateo County.

Why This Matters & FAQ

The League of Women Voters supports fair, transparent, and nonpartisan redistricting, and favors independent commissions to help ensure maps are drawn without political bias. Use this quick guide to understand what will be on your ballot this November:

What does the Board of Supervisors do?

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors sets local policy, approves budgets, and represents residents. The County has five supervisors. Their decisions directly impact land use, transportation, public health, housing, public safety, and local funding.

What is redistricting?

Every 10 years, district boundaries for electing the supervisors must be redrawn based on new census data. Redistricting is important because district lines determine who votes for which candidates and which communities are represented. State law requires districts to have equal population, respect communities, and follow clear geographic boundaries.

What happened in 2021?

In 2021, San Mateo County used an advisory commission that proposed maps, but the Board of Supervisors ultimately selected and approved a different map, making only minor changes to the previous map. This means that functionally, district lines have not fundamentally changed in 20 years despite population shifts.

What is being proposed for the November 2026 Ballot?

Following recommendations from the Charter Review Committee, the Board of Supervisors has placed a Charter Amendment on the ballot. If approved by voters this fall, it will create a fully Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) to draw district maps for Board of Supervisor districts.

A thoughtfully designed independent redistricting commission reflects community diversity and operates through an open, transparent process with meaningful public participation. An IRC will:

• Reduce conflicts of interest by removing direct control from the elected officials who run in those districts.

• Increase transparency and public trust.

• Encourage broader, more inclusive community participation.

• Produce fairer, more representative district maps based on objective criteria rather than political calculations.

Resources & Voter Education

Now that the Independent Redistricting Commission is officially headed to the ballot, use these tools to help our community understand what's at stake:

• Read the Official Recommendation: Review the San Mateo County Charter Revision Commission's Final Report to see the baseline data, arguments, and exact language proposed for the County Charter.

• Know Your Current Representation: Look up your current county district and see who your supervisor is by using the San Mateo County District Lookup Tool.

• Connect with the Board: To stay updated on future county actions or view past meeting archives, visit the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors Portal.

• Deepen Your Knowledge: To learn more about how independent redistricting protects communities, explore the ACLU Redistricting Toolkit or check out the National League of Women Voters Redistricting Guidelines.