Del MarNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Del Mar City Council Election 2026

2 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 4 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

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Select vote centers open (Oct 24): the election office's notice

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The candidates

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

Voters elect two at-large council members on Nov 3, 2026, from four candidates. Tracy Martinez, John W Spelich and Dan Quirk are not on the ballot.

Select vote centers 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

01Undergrounding utility lines3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is undergrounding utility lines district by district and adopted a Measure Q financing policy in September 2026.

What's on the tableHow fast to finish the remaining districts and whether to borrow to speed them up.

02Moving the rail line off the bluffs3 sourced facts

Where it standsSANDAG is studying alternatives to move the railway from the Del Mar bluffs to an inland location.

What's on the tableWhat position Del Mar takes as SANDAG chooses a route.

  • SANDAG planners are examining alternatives to move the railway from the bluffs in Del Mar to an inland location. City of Del Mar
  • Environmental review began in spring 2024. City of Del Mar
  • An updated Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report was released in May 2025. City of Del Mar
03State housing requirements4 sourced facts

Where it standsDel Mar is rezoning sites to meet its state housing element, including the North Bluff and an affordable housing overlay zone.

What's on the tableWhere and how densely new housing can be built, and how hard to push back on state mandates.

  • In May 2026 the council voted unanimously to deny an incomplete application for Seaside Ridge, a proposed 259-unit development on the north bluff. City of Del Mar · May 19, 2026
  • In June 2026 the council directed staff to limit height on five housing overlay sites to 30 feet or the closest feasible height for three stories. City of Del Mar · Jun 16, 2026
  • In September 2026 the council approved a contract of up to $169,295 for planning work to rezone 11.7 acres on the North Bluff to increase residential density. City of Del Mar · Sep 22, 2026
  • In February 2026 the council declared the city-owned 10th Street lot, a lower income housing site, exempt surplus land on a 4-0 vote. City of Del Mar · Feb 17, 2026
04City budget and reserves2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget update in June 2026 on a 3-1 vote.

What's on the tableHow to use budget surpluses and how much to hold in reserves.

05Fire department2 sourced facts

Where it standsDel Mar and Solana Beach are moving to a joint fire management structure.

What's on the tableWhether to finalize cost sharing and staffing for fire services with Solana Beach.

06Streets and medians2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is moving ahead with a redesign of its major arterial medians and continuing road repairs.

What's on the tableHow to split spending between landscaping projects and street repaving.

1 note on these statements

A video of the Oct. 2, 2026 candidate forum moderated by the League of Women Voters features all four candidates: Meghan O. Spieker, Jeff Sturgis, Terry Gaasterland and Jas Grewal. City of Del Mar · Oct 5, 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 Del Mar borrow against future Measure Q revenue to finish undergrounding utility lines sooner?

  2. 2. What should Del Mar push for as SANDAG moves the train off the bluffs?

  3. 3. How should Del Mar respond to state housing mandates?

  4. 4. Should the city move surplus money into its pension reserve fund?

  5. 5. Should Del Mar share fire department management with Solana Beach?

  6. 6. Should the city fund the redesign of its street medians now?

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 voted10 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Tracy Martinez, Dan Quirk, John W Spelich2 on this ballot

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

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