2026 Districting Process
What is Districting?
Districting is the process of establishing election district boundaries for the first time in a jurisdiction that previously elected its governing board at-large. These districts apply only to how Board members are elected and do not affect services, rates, or operations.
Currently, the Oro Loma Sanitary District elects its Board of Directors through an at-large, district-wide election. On January 27, 2026, the District began the transition to district-based elections by adopting a resolution of intent. As part of the process, voting districts must be drawn and adopted.
Once district-based elections are established, redistricting will occur every 10 years following the release of U.S. Census data to ensure districts reflect population changes and comply with legal requirements.
Districts are being created to comply with state law and to support fair and equitable representation. To the extent practicable, district boundaries will be drawn using the following criteria:
- Districts must be geographically contiguous (each district shares a common border).
- Neighborhoods and communities should be kept together whenever possible.
- City boundaries should be respected and minimally divided.
- District lines should follow clearly identifiable features, such as streets, highways, rail lines, or natural barriers.
- Districts should be compact in shape.
- Districts may not be drawn to favor or discriminate against any political party or individual.
Districting will not affect your services or the District's adopted rate schedule. Collection schedules, service levels, and previously approved rate adjustments will continue as planned. The only change is how Board Members are elected.
Community participation is an important part of the districting process. The District encourages public input to help identify and consider communities of interest, which are neighborhoods or groups that share common social, economic, or geographic characteristics and would benefit from being represented within the same district.
Opportunities for participation include:
- Public hearings (community meetings)
- Online tools to submit, review, and comment on draft district maps
- Public comment to the Board of Directors
Multiple public hearings will be held across the District. Initial hearings will gather community input before draft maps are prepared. Additional hearings will allow the public to review and comment on proposed district maps before adoption.
Meeting details will be posted in advance on the District's website, Board agendas, and official social media channels.
- Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. at the Oro Loma Sanitary District (2655 Grant Ave, San Lorenzo)
- Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. at San Leandro Senior Community Center (13909 E 14th St, San Leandro)
- Tuesday, April 14, 2026*
- Tuesday, May 12, 2026*
- Tuesday, May 26, 2026*
*Location details will be released once confirmed.
Mapping tools will be made available in the near future, allowing the public to create and submit maps. No prior experience is required. The mapping tools are designed to be user-friendly, and step-by-step tutorials will be provided to support participants throughout the process. Please check this page for updates.
The District has retained a demographer to prepare proposed district maps. In addition, members of the public are encouraged to submit proposed district maps or identify "communities of interest" for consideration. The demographer is responsible for reviewing and ensuring the maps comply with California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) requirements and for considering public input received throughout the process.
The deadline to adopt a final district map is June 2026.
How do I get more information?
For additional details like the California Voting Rights Act, Fair Maps Act, and other resources:
Please contact us at info@orolomasanitarydistrict.ca.gov or call (510) 276-4700.
Audio recordings of the public hearings will also be available on the District's website.