Notice of Ballot Measure
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a General Municipal Election will be held in the City of Hayward on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at which time it will be submitted to the voters the following measure:
Ballot Measure Question
HAYWARD BUSINESS LICENSE TAX MODERNIZATION: Shall the measure updating the Hayward Business License Tax for the first time since 1978, to support general city services, including neighborhood police protection, firefighting, 911 response, libraries, and pothole repair, generating an additional $12 million annually until repealed, with a minimum tax of $60 and rates from $.30 to $3.75 per $1,000 of gross receipts, with higher rates for higher-grossing businesses, as stated in the ordinance, be adopted?
Synopsis of the Measure
The November 3, 2026, proposed ballot measure would modernize the City’s Business License Tax structure for the time since 1978 by transitioning from a system of flat annual fees and employee counts toward a more progressive gross receipts-based framework.
Full Text of Ballot Measure
Staff Report
Resolutions
Key Dates
Date | Action |
|---|---|
| June 2, 2026 | City Council approved placing the measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot |
| August 3, 2026 | Deadline to file City Attorney Impartial Analysis with City Clerk |
| August 7, 2026 | Deadline to file with County Board of Supervisors and Alameda County Registrar of Voters the ballot measure question, ballot measure full text, and City Attorney Impartial Analysis (EC 9280-9287) |
| August 10, 2026 (noon, 12 p.m.) | Last day to file direct arguments with City Clerk (EC 9282, 9286) |
| August 10-20, 2026 | Public review period for direct arguments (EC 9295) |
| August 14, 2026 (noon, 12 p.m.) | Last day to file rebuttal arguments with City Clerk (EC 9285, 9286) |
| August 14-24, 2026 | Public review period for rebuttal arguments (EC 9295) |
| August 24, 2026 | Deadline to submit direct and rebuttal arguments to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters |
| November 3, 2026 | Election Day |
| EC = Elections Code | |
Argument Information
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN by the City Clerk, pursuant to Article 4, Chapter 3, Division 9, Sections 9280 through 9287 of the Elections Code of the State of California, that the following deadlines are hereby established as the final dates on which arguments and rebuttal arguments for and against the measure appearing on the ballot for the General Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026, may be submitted to the City Clerk for printing and distribution to the voters as required by law:
Deadline for Filing Primary Arguments: 12:00 p.m., Monday, August 10, 2026
Deadline for Filing Rebuttal Arguments: 12:00 p.m., Friday, August 14, 2026
Primary Arguments, not to exceed 300 words in length, and Rebuttal Arguments, not to exceed 250 words in length, are to be submitted to the City Clerk, 777 B Street, Hayward, on or before deadlines. Submitted arguments are kept confidential until after the filing deadline. Arguments cannot be changed after the deadline.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that there shall be set a ten-calendar day examination period for public review of said Arguments. During this time, any registered voter of the election jurisdiction, or the elections official, may seek a writ of mandate or an injunction requiring any or all of the materials to be amended or deleted. The review period for Arguments is as follows: Primary Arguments commence August 10, 2026 and end August 20, 2026; Rebuttal Arguments commence August 14, 2024 and end August 24, 2026. The review period for the Impartial Analysis commences on August 3, 2026 and ends August 13, 2026.
Information regarding the election and measure is available on the City’s website at https://www.hayward-ca.gov/your-government/elections. For additional information call (510) 583-4400 or email cityclerk@hayward-ca.gov
The polls (vote centers) will be open between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
In accordance with California Elections Code Sections 9282, 9283, 9285, 9286:
Primary arguments for or against a ballot measure may not exceed 300 words.
Rebuttal arguments for or against a ballot measure may not exceed 250 words.
Word count will be determined using the standards outlined in Elections Code Section 9.
Impartial Analysis by the City Attorney
Coming Soon
