Registered voters in the city of Santa Clara have a chance to help steer proposed revisions to the city charter, as applications to serve on a Charter Review Committee opened this month.
The 13-member committee was created by the City Council in July to lead the process of finding provisions in the city charter that need to be clarified, corrected, or modified to conform to state law.
The committee will also make recommendations on how to make the charter better align with best practices for city operations, find cost savings, and make the charter easier to understand and apply, according to a statement from the city.
Six members will be nominated by the City Council, one for each district, with another nominated by the mayor. Six others representing each council district will be chosen by lottery.
The committee will ultimately produce a charter amendment that will first be considered by the City Council, and if approved, will be put before voters in the November 2026 election.
The city charter is the city’s governing document and can only be amended by voters.
Applications and more information are available online. Applications can also be filled out in person at the City Clerk’s Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The City Clerk’s Office can be contacted with any application questions at (408) 615-2220.
The city charter is the city’s governing document and can only be amended by voters. It was first adopted in 1951 and has been amended several times since, according to the city.
The Charter Review Committee will meet monthly, starting in September, with a final meeting and deadline for presenting the proposed amendement to the City Council in July 2026. The committee will also form subcommittees that members will be expected to attend.
The committee’s full meetings will be open to the public. The subcommittee meetings, which will include city staff, will not, according to the city’s website.