Dear Hayward Residents,
Since 2018, we have produced this Annual Report mailer around this time each year to highlight the priorities and progress of your city government.
This year, the Annual Report provides information about the Nov. 3, 2026, general municipal election.
This will be the first City election held under our new district-based system for electing Hayward City Councilmembers. Voters in Districts 1 and 6 will elect their City Council representatives, while the Mayor will continue to be elected citywide.
The election will also include ballot Measure CC, which asks voters whether to approve an ordinance amending the Hayward Business License Tax.
The Business License Tax, or BLT, is what businesses licensed to operate in Hayward pay at the start of each year to support municipal services, such as police protection, firefighting, 911 response, library operations, pothole repair, maintenance and graffiti cleanup.
Read on for more information about the Nov. 3 general municipal election, district-based elections for Councilmembers, and ballot Measure CC. If you have a question or input to share, you can contact me at (510) 583-4300 or Jennifer.Ott@hayward-ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Ott
City Manager
City of Hayward District Elections
On Oct. 8, 2024, the Hayward City Council adopted Ordinance No. 24-07, establishing a district-based election system for City Councilmembers.
The new system will take effect with the upcoming Nov. 3, 2026, general municipal election. Hayward's mayor will continue to be elected at large by citywide vote. The remaining members of the City's seven-member legislative body will be elected by voters in their respective geographic districts.
Under the district system, the terms of the offices of Mayor and Councilmember will remain four years in length.
City Offices to be Elected on Nov. 3, 2026
- Hayward Mayor
- District 1 Councilmember
- District 6 Councilmember
City Offices to be Elected Nov. 7, 2028
- District 2 Councilmember
- District 3 Councilmember
- District 4 Councilmember
- District 5 Councilmember
Find Your District
To find your City Council district go online to the City of Hayward Council Look-Up Tool available at: hayward-ca.gov/find-my-district
Register to Vote
Registered voters in Hayward will be mailed a ballot ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election. For more election information, including how to register to vote, go to the Elections Page on our website: hayward-ca.gov/your-government/elections.
Hayward Council Districts
Business License Tax Modernization–Measure CC
On June 2, 2026, the Hayward City Council voted to place a measure on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot seeking voter approval of an ordinance updating the City’s Business License Tax, which was originally adopted in 1978.
The Business License Tax, or BLT, is paid by Hayward businesses at the start of the year to support general municipal services. Most of the revenue pays for police protection, firefighting and 911 emergency response. It also supports sidewalk and pothole repair, graffiti removal and general maintenance, library operations, and efforts to protect and preserve affordable housing.
Measure CC–BLT Modernization Ordinance
- Updates BLT business categories to reflect modern business activity
- Transitions to a gross-receipts structure that raises an additional $12 million a year
- With relatively higher rates for higher-grossing, typically larger businesses
- And lower rates for lower-grossing, typically smaller businesses
Transparency & Accountability
All BLT revenue goes into the City of Hayward General Fund and cannot be taken by the state. Spending of BLT revenue is authorized through a public process as part of annual City budgetary proceedings and is subject to independent annual audits.
General Fund Revenue Sources
The General Fund is the primary source of funding for most municipal services--led by police protection, firefighting and 911 emergency response. The General Fund draws its annual revenue from a variety of sources, shown in the pie chart below.
Chart Data:
Fiscal Year 2026-2027: $249,085,224
Property Tax: 32.6%
Real Property Transfer Tax: 4.4%
Sales Tax: 18.7%
Utility User's Tax: 10.5%
Franchise Fees: 5.6%
Business License Tax: 1.5%
Other Taxes: 2.4%
Charges for Service: 5.8%
Other & Interest: 1.5%
Intergovernmental: 3.0%
Fines & Forfeitures: 1.4%
Transfers In: 12.6%
To learn more visit: hayward-ca.gov/MeasureCC
How to Register to Vote
All registered voters in Hayward will be mailed a ballot ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, election, when Hayward’s Mayor and Councilmembers from District 1 and District 6 will be elected. For more information, including how to register to vote, visit the City of Hayward website at hayward-ca.gov/your-government/elections. To find your City Council district, go to our District Lookup Tool at hayward-ca.gov/find-my-district.
