Measure J held a strong lead in updated returns from San Mateo County’s Nov. 3 election. The charter amendment would give the Board of Supervisors twice as long to fill vacancies in elected county offices other than the board itself.
The charter amendment led with 73.76% of the vote to 26.24% opposed in the county’s Nov. 5 results. That represented 104,401 yes votes and 37,144 no votes. The Elections Office estimated 110,000 ballots remained unprocessed countywide as of 2 p.m. Nov. 5.
Under the county charter’s existing rules, the Board of Supervisors has 30 days after a vacancy in an elected office other than its own to either appoint a replacement or call a special election. Measure J would double that window to 60 days. It would also require the board to hold at least one noticed public meeting to hear community input before making an appointment, according to the official measure text.
A memorandum in the Charter Review Committee’s agenda packet said county staff identified the 30-day deadline as a potential obstacle to thoroughly evaluating candidates and gathering public input. No opposing arguments were submitted to the county’s Elections Division, The Almanac reported.
The change grew out of a review by the county’s Charter Review Committee. A subcommittee made up of commissioners Iliana Rodriguez, Julie Lind and Liliam Perez Avila studied vacancy procedures in California charter counties and found that many provide longer appointment periods, typically 60 to 90 days, according to the committee’s agenda packet. The subcommittee consulted with the county Human Resources Department and the County Attorney’s Office as part of its review.
The board confronted the 30-day crunch firsthand about a year ago. In October 2025, supervisors unanimously voted to remove Sheriff Christina Corpus over misconduct and abuse of authority, as the county announced. The removal took effect immediately, and the county said Undersheriff Dan Perea would temporarily act as sheriff while the board decided how to fill the vacancy.
The Almanac reported that filling the sheriff’s vacancy required a compressed schedule for advertising the position, reviewing candidates, conducting interviews and holding public meetings.
The measure requires a simple majority to pass. With nearly three-quarters of votes counted in favor, Measure J appeared on track for approval, though final certified results had not yet been released.
The Elections Office’s next update is scheduled before 4:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. The county plans to certify results Dec. 3.
