Santa Clara City Council schedules Nov. 3 ballot measures on charter update process

Santa Clara voters will see two charter measures on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot after City Council’s July 14, 2026 action. The clearest day-to-day impact is the city’s public-works contracting/procurement rules—because how “major” projects are approved and bid can affect project timelines, contractor selection, and accountability.

Local reporting on July 15–16 said the broader, comprehensive “charter overhaul” effort was scaled back for this election. But Resolution 26-784 still places a “comprehensive charter amendment” measure on the ballot alongside the stand-alone public-works procurement update.

What the City Council put on the Nov. 3 ballot

Measure 1: Comprehensive Charter Amendment. This measure would update the city charter by removing outdated provisions, clarifying ambiguous terms, reorganizing/reformatting for usability, and updating the charter to align with current laws and “best practices.” It also includes changes covering elected/appointed roles and duties and other operations/procedure enhancements.

Measure 2: Public Works Charter Amendment. This measure would amend the city charter to update rules for public-works construction and improvements—allowing competitive “best value” contracting and related procurement approaches, while retaining City Council authority over defined “major” contracts.

How the public-works procurement change would work

The amendment is aimed at replacing the current charter’s approach for public-works contracting. Under the current charter, public-works contracts over $1,000 require council approval and formal bidding, and council approval is also required to use city employees for certain public works above that same line.

With the charter amendment, the city would adopt an implementing ordinance that (at minimum) includes:

• Major vs. minor projects: The ordinance would define “major project” contracts based on factors such as contract cost and project value, with major projects approved by City Council and minor projects approved by the City Manager.
• Competitive bidding baseline: Formal advertisement and sealed bids would be required for “major” contracts, and awards generally go to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder (subject to exceptions allowed in the implementing ordinance).
• Reject/re-advertise/waive minor defects: The city would keep flexibility to reject bids, re-advertise, or waive minor defects when that’s determined to be for the benefit of the public.
• Emergency waiver: Competitive-bid requirements can be waived for urgent necessity tied to preservation of life, health, or property.
• “City forces” option: The approving authority could allow certain public works to be performed using city employees if doing so would be better or more economical.
• Procurement alternatives (including design-build/best value): Alternatives such as sole source or limited-bid and “best value” mechanisms (including design-build variations) would be allowed only as part of a city-wide policy/program adopted by ordinance, with a determination that the alternative is in the city’s best overall interests.

What happens next for the ballot language and arguments

Resolution 26-784 sets a strict argument schedule tied to the County Registrar of Voters workflow:

• Primary ballot arguments due: July 28, 2026 (to the City Clerk)
• Rebuttal arguments due: Aug. 7, 2026 (to the City Clerk)
• Impartial analysis due: Aug. 7, 2026 (to the City Clerk)
• Final ballot form for the Registrar target: by Aug. 7, 2026

The resolution also allows the City Clerk and City Attorney to make non-substantive administrative edits (without changing meaning or required scope), with those changes brought back to Council for ratification before the Nov. 3 election.

Why residents should care

Public-works procurement rules shape how large projects get scoped, bid, awarded, and managed. As you look at the Nov. 3 measures, watch closely for how the implementing ordinance will define “major” projects and when “best value” or other alternative contracting methods will be allowed—and what guardrails will apply.

Sources

• Granicus agenda record (City of Santa Clara), Resolution 26-784 for Nov. 3, 2026 ballot measures (July 14, 2026)
• City of Santa Clara Charter Review Committee / Charter Project background (charter update timeline and ballot qualification context)
• Santa Clara News Online (July 16, 2026): reported outcome of the July 14 decision—comprehensive overhaul reportedly scrapped; procurement measure advanced
• The Silicon Valley Voice (July 15, 2026): reported next steps and deadlines after the July 14 charter-update scaling back