Bakersfield, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Bakersfield City Council Election 2026

4 of 7

council seats up

4 contests

11 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 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 Ward 1 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 3 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 4 · 1 seat

City Council Ward 7 · 1 seat

Only voters in Wards 1, 3, 4 and 7 vote for council this year, each for its own ward seat; the most votes wins, with no runoff. The mayor is not on this ballot.

4 notes on these statements

Ward 3 is an open seat: Councilmember Ken Weir, elected in 2006, is not seeking re-election. 23ABC News (KERO) · Jun 16, 2026

Andrae Gonzales, the Ward 2 councilmember, is running for State Assembly District 35 in November. Ballotpedia

Six people filed for Ward 3; five qualified for the ballot. Johnny Olaguez filed but is not listed as qualified. Kern County Elections

Congressman Vince Fong endorsed Cassie Bittle (Ward 3) and Ryan Crowl (Ward 4). KGET 17 News · Sep 11, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Zack BashirtashWard 6 councilmember; current term ends in 202811sourcedKaren GohMayor; current term ends in 2029bio onlyAndrae GonzalesWard 2 councilmember; current term ends in 20288sourcedLarry KomanWard 5 councilmember; current term ends in 20288sourced

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

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesSewer rate increase, Budget and Measure N spending, Sanctuary city proposalKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots begin mailing

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Sewer rate increase

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council approved, 5-2, a five-year plan raising the annual sewer rate from $247.13 to $475 in 2026-27 and $875 by 2030-31.

What's on the tableWhether to keep the approved rate steps, add help for low- and fixed-income households, or revisit the plan.

Budget and Measure N spending

Where it standsThe council adopted a nearly $927 million budget for 2026-27 on a 5-1 vote in June 2026; Measure N, a one-cent sales tax, helps fund it.

What's on the tableHow to set future budgets and how to divide Measure N money among police, fire and other services.

Sanctuary city proposal

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council referred a sanctuary city proposal to its Laws and Legislation Committee and agreed to plan a TRUTH Act forum; no vote has been taken.

What's on the tableWhether to adopt a policy limiting city cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Homelessness spending

Where it standsThe council continues to fund shelter and housing projects, including a $2.5 million shelter construction grant approved 5-1 in February 2026.

What's on the tableHow much to spend on shelter and housing, and what results to require from funded programs.

Buying downtown office buildings

Where it standsThe city leases office space at 1430 and 1440 Truxtun Avenue with an option to buy it for $13.6 million by Aug. 15, 2026 or $14.15 million by Jan. 15, 2027.

What's on the tableWhether to complete the purchase of the buildings or keep leasing.

City solar and power projects

Where it standsThe council voted 4-2 in March 2026 to plan utility-scale distributed energy, then rejected a $9.2 million solar and battery project 3-4 in August 2026.

What's on the tableWhether to fund city-owned solar, battery and local power projects.

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. Sewer rates are set to rise from $247 to $875 a year by 2030-31 under the approved five-year plan. What should the council do?

  2. 2. How should Measure N sales-tax money be spent?

  3. 3. Should Bakersfield adopt a sanctuary city policy limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement?

  4. 4. What should the city's approach to homelessness spending be?

  5. 5. Should the city buy the 1430 and 1440 Truxtun Avenue office buildings it now leases?

  6. 6. Should the city pay for its own solar, battery and local power projects?

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

4 stay (not up this year): Zack Bashirtash, Karen Goh, Andrae Gonzales, Larry Koman4 on this ballot

7 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

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