Mountain View voters have approved Measure E, a charter amendment that city staff described as a technical cleanup, the Mountain View Voice reported. KQED’s Associated Press tally, updated at 9:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 9, showed 15,241 yes votes, or 71.2%, to 6,137 no, or 28.7%. The results remain unofficial. The measure needed a simple majority.
Why it matters: The Voice said the last charter update was in 2016, when voters approved rent control. The new changes would align the document with current state law and city practices, including correcting typographical errors, improving internal consistency, replacing gender-specific terms with gender-neutral ones, and increasing the timeline for filling a City Council vacancy from 30 to 60 days. When the council placed the measure on the ballot, staff called the changes “non-substantive” and “non-controversial,” the paper reported. City leaders have also discussed putting more substantial charter changes before voters in 2028.
Mayor Emily Ann Ramos told the Voice, “The charter amendments show the trust the community has in us. They know the council will not go crazy and mess things up.” There was no formal opposition, and a committee backing Measures E and F raised $12,500 from local leaders and unions, with no money spent against them, the Voice said.
Earlier Voice figures, from registrar returns at 4:49 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4, showed Measure E leading with 69.88%, or 8,813 votes. The later KQED tally has a larger count and a slightly higher yes share. Both are unofficial.