The Hayward City Council currently utilizes an at-large election system for its City Council, which means that voters from the entire City elect all six Council members and the Mayor. The council members are eligible to hold office no matter where in the City they reside. A by-district election system, in contrast, is one in which the entire City of Hayward is delineated into separate electoral districts, each with one City Council member who resides in the district and is chosen by the voters residing in that respective district. Districting is the process of transitioning from an at-large to a by-district election system.
