San Mateo voters in City Council Districts 1, 3 and 5 will pick their council members on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with seven candidates on the ballot and an incumbent defending every seat. It's only the second time those districts have voted by district instead of citywide. Voters in Districts 2 and 4 won't see a council race, but everyone in the city votes on two citywide measures: Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax, and Measure F, a set of charter amendments.
The backdrop is money and growth. The city has projected a deficit of nearly $17 million for the coming fiscal year, and Measure H is expected to raise about $7 million a year. San Mateo also has to plan for at least 7,015 new homes by the end of the decade, the Mercury News reported.
District 1: Lisa Diaz Nash vs. Taso Zografos
District 1 covers neighborhoods west of El Camino Real such as Aragon, Baywood and San Mateo Heights, where several housing projects have been proposed along El Camino. Incumbent Lisa Diaz Nash, 68, has served since 2022 and, as mayor in 2024, led Measure T, which voters passed to allow taller, denser buildings near transit and downtown. She says she'll focus on affordable housing for workers and seniors, street repairs and safety for people biking and walking. Taso Zografos, 67, a business executive and president of the United Hellenic American Societies of California, says he backs affordable housing but wants developers held accountable for neighborhood impacts, more transparency on spending, and support for police, fire and emergency responders.
District 3: Rob Newsom Jr. vs. Seema Patel
District 3 lies west of Highway 101 and takes in Central, Sunnybrae and 19th Avenue Park. Incumbent Robert G. Newsom Jr., 53, a former mayor, helped launch the police department's Real-Time Information Center and plan the replacement of the city's oldest fire station. He says he wants to keep housing projects on track and update fire houses and pools. Seema Patel, 45, chairs the city's planning commission and founded Safe Streets for Everyone. She argues the city is building more office space than housing and wants a dedicated funding source for quick-build street safety projects and regular park and playground safety audits.
District 5: Mayor Adam Loraine vs. Dave Johnson and Dana Yates Sahae
District 5 covers the southwest part of the city, including Beresford Hillsdale and the area around the Hillsdale Caltrain station and shopping center. Mayor Adam Loraine, 41, supports Measure H and wants a fiscal sustainability plan, storm drain upgrades and economic development tied to new housing. Dave Johnson, 51, senior pastor at First Baptist Church San Carlos and a former county paramedic, says he'll look for wasteful spending. Hoodline reported he is leaning against Measure H and wants the Humboldt Street bike lanes removed and parking restored. Dana Yates Sahae, 45, a former San Mateo Daily Journal reporter and Fiesta Gardens PTA leader, wants clearer budget information and earlier community input on projects. Hoodline reported she reluctantly supports Measure H.
Spending limits and write-ins
Zografos, Johnson, Loraine and Yates Sahae agreed to the city's voluntary spending limit of $2.63 per district resident, according to the city. The write-in filing period for all three seats closes Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 5 p.m. at City Hall.
More Peninsula races and measures are in our Nov. 2026 Bay Area election guide.