The Sacramento City Council is the nine-member legislative body that governs California’s capital, setting local policy, passing ordinances, and adopting a city budget that reached roughly $1.7 billion for fiscal year 2026/27.1City of Sacramento. City of Sacramento Fiscal Year 2026/27 Proposed Operating Budget It meets Tuesdays at City Hall, and residents can weigh in on any agenda item by signing a speaker slip in person, filing a written comment through the city’s online portal, or joining by phone or Zoom when remote participation is offered.
Who Sits on the Council
The council has nine elected officials: a mayor chosen citywide and eight members representing geographic districts. Sacramento runs on a council-manager system, so the council sets direction while an appointed City Manager serves as chief executive, overseeing departments, proposing budgets, and hiring department heads.2City of Sacramento. Office of the City Manager The mayor presides over meetings and votes as an equal member of the council rather than running daily operations.
Each member serves a four-year term. Elections are staggered so that about half the seats come up every two years. To find which district you live in, use the address lookup tool on the city’s website.3City of Sacramento. Find Your Council Representative Council members currently earn approximately $111,324 a year, and the mayor earns $184,464.
What the Council Does
The council writes local law. Its ordinances become part of the Sacramento City Code and cover zoning, business licensing, public nuisance standards, and much else. It adopts the annual city budget, which for 2026/27 includes an $898 million General Fund and a workforce of roughly 4,822 full-time employees paying for police, fire, public works, parks, and every other city service.1City of Sacramento. City of Sacramento Fiscal Year 2026/27 Proposed Operating Budget
The council also makes key appointments. It hires the City Manager, who runs operations,2City of Sacramento. Office of the City Manager and appoints the City Attorney, setting that officer’s duties and compensation.4American Legal Publishing. Sacramento City Charter – Section 72 City Attorney Any city contract of $250,000 or more must be authorized by the council, which gives the public a check on major spending.5American Legal Publishing. Sacramento City Code 3.56.090 – Award of Contracts by City Council
A lot of the detailed policy work happens in standing committees before items reach the full council. As of 2025 the council maintains five: Budget and Audit, Law and Legislation, Personnel and Public Employees, Water, and Racial Equity.6City of Sacramento. City Clerk – Legislative Bodies and Agendas Committee meetings are open to the public under the same rules as full council sessions.
When and Where the Council Meets
Regular meetings are held Tuesdays in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 915 I Street, Sacramento.7City of Sacramento. City of Sacramento – Calendar A full-year calendar of council and standing committee dates, along with scheduled breaks and holidays, is posted by the City Clerk.8City of Sacramento. City Council and Standing Committee Calendars All meetings must follow the Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open-meetings law, which guarantees public access to and participation in local government proceedings.9State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Open Meetings
How to Speak at a Council Meeting
In Person
Fill out a speaker slip before your agenda item is called. Slips ask for your name and the item number, and they’re available near the entrance of the Council Chambers. Turn the slip in to the City Clerk.10City of Sacramento. Council Rules of Procedure When the item comes up, the clerk calls speakers in the order slips were received; wait for your name before approaching the microphone.11City of Sacramento. Request to Speak
Current practice limits each speaker to two minutes per item, with a total cap of eight minutes per person across the whole meeting.12City of Sacramento. City Council Meeting Agenda The Council Rules of Procedure technically allow up to three minutes, but the presiding officer regularly sets shorter limits depending on how long the agenda is.10City of Sacramento. Council Rules of Procedure A visible timer counts down at the podium. Council members may ask clarifying questions after you finish, though there’s no obligation for a back-and-forth. Complex issues are often referred to city staff for a follow-up report.
Written Comments Online
If you can’t attend, use the city’s eComment system through the official meeting portal. It stays open throughout the meeting, so there’s no pre-meeting cutoff. Written comments go to council members and into the official record, but they aren’t read aloud.13City of Sacramento. City of Sacramento City Council Agenda Check the posted agenda so you can match your comment to the right item number.
Remote by Phone or Video
For meetings that allow remote participation, the city uses Zoom. Join by clicking the webinar link on the agenda, or dial in and enter the webinar ID. When public comment opens on your item, raise your hand in Zoom or press *9 on the phone. The clerk will call on you by the last four digits of your phone number. Press *6 to unmute.14City of Sacramento. Instructions for Public Participation in Legislative Body Meetings
Accessibility and Language Services
If you need a disability-related accommodation, contact the Office of the City Clerk at 916-808-7200 or clerk@cityofsacramento.org, and give at least 72 hours’ notice when possible.15City of Sacramento. Citywide Accessibility For language interpretation, the city works with an outside service and generally asks for at least 48 hours’ advance notice for an on-site interpreter. Sign language and Braille requests may need more lead time.
Other Ways to Engage
Public Records
You can request council documents, staff reports, emails, and other city records under the California Public Records Act using the NextRequest portal. Include a clear description, a date range, and relevant names or keywords; specificity speeds things up.16NextRequest. Request a Public Record Before filing, check the city’s online records library, which often already contains the ordinance, resolution, or report you’re looking for.
Lobbyists
Anyone who lobbies the council on behalf of another party may need to register with the City Clerk under Sacramento City Code Chapter 2.15.17City of Sacramento. Lobbyists If you’re paid to advocate for someone else’s interests before the council, check the definitions in the code to see whether registration applies. Residents speaking for themselves during public comment are not lobbyists and don’t need to register.
Elections and Vacancies
Four seats are on the 2026 ballot: Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7. The candidate filing deadline is March 6, 2026, with the primary on June 2 and the general election on November 3.18Ballotpedia. City Elections in Sacramento, California (2026) Candidates must be registered voters and residents of their district for at least 30 days before filing.19Sacramento City Express. Application Period Opens for Interim Councilmember for Sacramentos District 2
When a seat opens mid-term through resignation, removal, or death, the charter calls for a special election, unless the vacancy falls within one year of the next general election where that seat would appear anyway. In that case, the remaining members fill the seat by majority vote and the appointee serves out the term.20American Legal Publishing. Sacramento City Charter – Section 28 Vacancies The same rule applies if the mayor’s office becomes vacant.21American Legal Publishing. Sacramento City Charter – Section 46 Vacancy of Office of Mayor