Position In Brief:
Support a charter for the County of San Mateo which establishes the basic framework of county government, which is as free as possible of operational details, and which provides an integrated governmental structure in which lines of authority and responsibility are clearly drawn. The charter should be reviewed periodically.
Support a governmental structure for the County of San Mateo in which:
- The Board of Supervisors, the District Attorney and other policy-making county officers are elected by the people.
- The ultimate policy-making authority remains with the Board of Supervisors.
- The Board of Supervisors appoints a County Manager who has primary responsibility for county governmental operation and for policy recommendation and implementation.
- The County Manager appoints county officers whose positions are administrative, subject to ratification by the Board of Supervisors.
Support measures to ensure an orderly, open and fair process for filling vacancies in elective county positions which occur between regularly scheduled elections.
Position History:
County position. Adopted 1975, revised 1988, 1996, 1997, 2000, revised 2008, 2009, amended 2010
Process for filling vacancies. Objectives:
- Interim vacancies on the Board of Supervisors should be filled by direct election.
- Vacancies occurring in other elective county positions may be filled through appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
- If less than six months remain in the term, positions should be left vacant until the next regularly scheduled election.
- Measures which reduce the cost of special elections and increase voter participation, such as mail-in ballots and electronic voting, should be implemented.
Issues:
League to which this content belongs:
North & Central San Mateo County
