San Mateo Passes Redistricting Measure U as Dailey Leads Water Race

Redistricting reform, municipal charter modernization, and regional water board leadership topped Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley election returns this week as voters backed San Mateo County's Measure U, approved Mountain View's Measure E, and gave challenger Pete Dailey a wide lead in Santa Clara Valley Water District Area 7.

San Mateo County Voters Back Measure U Independent Redistricting Commission

In preliminary returns reported after midnight on election night covering mail-in ballots received by Friday, October 30, San Mateo County's Measure U held 80.6% support with 105,692 yes votes ahead of the Elections Office's next update at 5 p.m. Thursday, November 5, according to The Almanac.

Measure U transfers authority for redrawing the county's five supervisorial districts every 10 years from the Board of Supervisors to an independent redistricting commission. District 1 Supervisor Jackie Speier, District 4 Supervisor Lisa Gauthier, and League of Women Voters chapter presidents authored the ballot argument favoring Measure U—which drew zero opposing ballot arguments—noting that during the 2021 redistricting cycle the board overrode its resident advisory commission's recommended maps.

Mountain View Voters Approve Measure E City Charter Update

In Santa Clara County, 8:48 p.m. Tuesday returns from the Registrar of Voters reported by the Mountain View Voice showed Mountain View voters approving Measure E with 71.53% support (6,981 votes). Marking the first update to the city charter since voters passed Mountain View's rent control law in 2016, Measure E corrects typographical errors, adopts gender-neutral language, aligns rules with state law, and extends the timeline for filling a City Council vacancy from 30 to 60 days ahead of more substantive charter proposals planned for 2028. Local leaders and labor unions contributed $12,500 to a committee backing both Measure E and the Measure F hotel tax measure, with no formal opposition filed.

Pete Dailey Leads Incumbent Rebecca Eisenberg in Valley Water Area 7

In the race for Area 7 on the seven-member Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) Board of Directors—which oversees water supply, stream maintenance, and flood protection across Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Monte Sereno, and Los Gatos alongside ballot contests in Areas 1, 4, and 6—Los Altos City Councilmember Pete Dailey led incumbent Rebecca Eisenberg 57.56% (22,258 votes) to 42.43% (16,407 votes) in 9:22 p.m. Tuesday returns, according to the Mountain View Voice. Dailey, who has served on the advisory Santa Clara Valley Water Commission since 2022 and as commission chair in 2025, challenged Eisenberg after a February 2024 investigation examined 25 workplace complaints (finding nine substantiated) and the board censured and sued her over a 2,000-page report.