Novato, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Novato City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

2 contests

7 candidates

Updated Oct 4, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council District 2 · 1 seat

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

Voters elect council members by district. Only registered voters in District 2 choose among the District 2 candidates, and only District 4 voters choose among the District 4 candidates.

2 notes on these statements

Sandeep Karkal was appointed to the District 5 seat on August 18, 2026 under Elections Code Section 10229 because only one candidate filed, so that seat is not on the November ballot. City of Novato

Pat Eklund and Rachel Farac are the incumbents on the ballot; Eklund holds District 4 and Farac holds District 2. City of Novato

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Kevin JacobsMayor Pro Tem, Councilmember, District 1; up for re-election November 20285sourcedSandeep KarkalCouncilmember for Novato District 5 and General Manager-Chief Engineer of the Novato Sanitary District.4sourcedTim O'ConnorCouncilmember, District 3; up for re-election in 20285sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesCannabis storefront retail, Housing and renters, City budget and Measure MKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots mailed; voting opens at the Elections Department

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Cannabis storefront retail

Where it standsOn April 28, 2026 the council voted 3-2 to have staff continue the work plan on allowing cannabis stores; no final decision has been made.

What's on the tableWhether Novato allows licensed cannabis storefront retail, and if so where and how many.

Housing and renters

Where it standsA Tenant Protections Ordinance adopted April 28, 2026 took effect in May 2026.

What's on the tableHow Novato carries out its Housing Element goals, including enforcement and any changes to the tenant ordinance.

City budget and Measure M

Where it standsThe council adopted a $62.5 million general fund budget for Fiscal Year 2026/27 on June 23, 2026.

What's on the tableHow Measure M sales tax revenue and the general fund are spent in future budgets.

Council pay and how the mayor is chosen

Where it standsThe council voted in 2026 to raise its pay from $400 to $1,552 a month, effective after the November 2026 election.

What's on the tableWhether to change how Novato selects its mayor, and whether to keep the new council pay that takes effect after the November election.

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should Novato allow licensed cannabis storefront retail?

  2. 2. What should Novato do about council pay?

  3. 3. Should Novato require relocation help for tenants in no-fault displacement?

  4. 4. How should Novato choose its mayor?

  5. 5. How should Novato approach new housing?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Kevin Jacobs, Sandeep Karkal, Tim O'Connor2 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

  • The Novato City Council has five members elected by district to staggered four-year terms. City of Novato
  • Every December the council chooses a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tem by majority vote, for one-year terms, and all five members vote on citywide matters. City of Novato
  • Seats in Districts 2 and 4 are on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the District 5 seat was filled by council appointment because only one candidate filed. City of Novato

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

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