CapitolaNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Capitola City Council Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 5 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 6 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Three more in-person voting locations open (Oct 24): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

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

Five candidates are running citywide for three at-large seats on the five-member City Council; each voter can vote for up to three.

Three more in-person voting locations open · Oct 24

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

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

What the next council decides

01City budget and reserves4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the FY 2026-27 budget in June 2026, and staff project the General Fund becomes structurally imbalanced in FY 2028-29.

What's on the tableHow to keep the budget balanced as pension costs rise, including spending, reserves and new revenue.

02State housing mandates3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn September 2025 the council voted 3-2 to start multifamily and accessory dwelling unit zoning changes tied to state housing requirements.

What's on the tableHow the city carries out state-required housing growth and how it responds to future housing projects.

03Capitola Mall redevelopment3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council unanimously adopted zoning standards for redeveloping the Capitola Mall site in March 2026.

What's on the tableHow the city responds when an owner brings a mall redevelopment project, and whether to change the standards.

04Rail trail and the Capitola Trestle4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council has voted 4-1 several times to support work toward a bicycle and pedestrian trail over the Capitola Trestle.

What's on the tableHow the city works with the RTC on the trestle and the trail through Capitola.

05Stockton Avenue Bridge3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council chose in August 2026 to repair and preserve the existing bridge, starting with a polyester concrete overlay.

What's on the tableWhether to rehabilitate, retrofit or replace the bridge in the long run, and how to pay for it.

06Cliff Drive and bluff erosion2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is pursuing the Cliff Drive Resiliency Project and sent related Local Coastal Program changes to the Coastal Commission.

What's on the tableHow to protect Cliff Drive from bluff erosion and how to pay for it.

  • The Cliff Drive Resiliency Project is a public works initiative designed to stabilize bluff erosion along Cliff Drive, from Wharf Road to the Hooper's Beach Staircase. Santa Cruz Local
  • On January 8, 2026, the council unanimously introduced Local Coastal Program amendments for Cliff Drive resiliency and authorized submittal to the California Coastal Commission. Capitola City Council minutes, January 8, 2026 · Jan 8, 2026
2 notes on these statements

Joe Clarke is the only incumbent among the five candidates; incumbents Margaux Morgan and Susan Westman are not on the candidate list. Santa Cruz County Elections

TPG Online Daily said its efforts to reach Troy "TJ" Welch Jr for its candidate Q&A failed. TPG Online Daily · Oct 3, 2026

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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 Capitola rezone to allow more multifamily housing to meet state requirements?

  2. 2. What should a redeveloped Capitola Mall mostly be?

  3. 3. Should Capitola push ahead with a bicycle and pedestrian trail over the Capitola Trestle?

  4. 4. How should Capitola close its projected budget gap?

  5. 5. What should Capitola do about the Stockton Avenue Bridge?

  6. 6. How should Capitola protect Cliff Drive from bluff erosion?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted7 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Gerry Jensen, Melinda Orbach3 on this ballot

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

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

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