Encinitas, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Encinitas Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5

council seats up

3 contests

6 candidates

Updated Oct 4, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

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

Mayor · 1 seat

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

All Encinitas voters choose the mayor; voters in District 3 or District 4 also choose their district's council member.

2 notes on these statements

Marco San Antonio was appointed to the District 4 seat in January 2024 after Bruce Ehlers was elected mayor; the Nov. 3 ballot offers a full four-year term. City of Encinitas

All six candidates, including mayoral candidates Bruce Ehlers and Rimga Viskanta, answered questions at a Sept. 17, 2026 League of Women Voters forum. The Coast News

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Jim O'HaraCouncilmember, District 2; term ends November 20288sourcedLuke ShafferCouncilmember, District 1; term ends November 20285sourced

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 decidesHomelessness and state funding, Housing and local control, Traffic safety and red-light camerasKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

Get your Encinitas ballot cheat-sheet

Candidates, positions and dates in one email, sent now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

Next date

Ballots start going out

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Homelessness and state funding

Where it standsIn June 2026 the council voted 4-1 not to apply for a state Encampment Resolution Funding grant, and the city is updating its Homeless Action Plan.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how Encinitas funds and runs homeless services and whether to seek state money.

  • The council voted 4-1 in June 2026 to direct staff not to submit an application for a $3.9 million state Encampment Resolution Funding grant, with Councilmember Joy Lyndes opposed. San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 29, 2026
  • The council unanimously hired the San Diego Rescue Mission last year to provide homeless outreach services. San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 29, 2026
  • The city is updating its Homeless Action Plan; the original 2021-2026 plan was adopted on Feb. 24, 2021. City of Encinitas
  • At the League of Women Voters forum, Arielle Golden and Brad Lefkowits preferred housing first and the other four candidates preferred treatment first. The Coast News

Housing and local control

Where it standsIn May 2025 the council voted 4-1 to support the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative, and all six candidates said at a forum that they support restoring local control over zoning.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how Encinitas responds to state housing laws and what new housing it approves.

  • The council voted 4-1 to support the Our Neighborhood Voices initiative; Councilmember Jim O'Hara and Councilmember Luke Shaffer introduced the resolution and Joy Lyndes cast the lone dissenting vote. The Coast News · May 17, 2025
  • At the forum all six candidates opposed granting waivers from environmental review for new housing and supported requiring off-street parking for new housing projects. The Coast News
  • At the forum all candidates except Bruce Ehlers said yes when asked whether to use accessory dwelling units for infill housing. The Coast News

Traffic safety and red-light cameras

Where it standsOn Sept. 16, 2026 the council voted 4-1 to have staff study a red-light camera program under state Senate Bill 720.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to approve red-light cameras and how to fund traffic enforcement.

  • Senate Bill 720 sets a $100 fine for a first citation, rising to $500 for repeat violations, and requires cities to reinvest revenue in traffic safety projects. The Coast News
  • Encinitas ran red-light cameras at two intersections until the contract expired in May 2020, after a 2019 council vote against renewing it. The Coast News
  • Deputy Mayor Jim O'Hara cast the one dissenting vote on the Sept. 16 study. The Coast News
  • At the forum all six candidates said yes when asked whether the city should bring back red-light cameras. The Coast News

Wildfire evacuation and storm readiness

Where it standsOn Aug. 26, 2026 the council directed staff to scope an Evacuation Master Plan, and on Sept. 23 it received a Citywide Storm Action Plan.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how to fund evacuation planning and how the city prepares for winter storms.

License plate reader cameras

Where it standsEncinitas has 24 automated license plate reader cameras, and candidates split on the Flock-brand cameras at the Sept. 2026 forum.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to keep, expand or limit the city's license plate camera program.

  • The council approved an additional 17 cameras from Flock Safety in 2024, bringing the city's network to 24 cameras. The Coast News
  • Operating all 24 cameras costs about $75,000 a year through the city's contract with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. The Coast News
  • At the forum Bruce Ehlers and Ed Sprague largely supported the cameras, while the other candidates voiced opposition or serious reservations. The Coast News

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 Encinitas apply for state grants such as the Encampment Resolution Funding program?

  2. 2. What should the city's approach to chronic homelessness lead with?

  3. 3. How should Encinitas respond to state laws that limit local control over zoning and project approval?

  4. 4. Should the city use accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to provide infill housing?

  5. 5. Should Encinitas bring back red-light cameras?

  6. 6. What should the city do with its Flock-brand license plate reader cameras?

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

2 stay (not up this year): Jim O'Hara, Luke Shaffer3 on this ballot

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

  • There are five elected positions in Encinitas: one mayor elected at-large and four council members elected by district. City of Encinitas
  • The Nov. 3, 2026 election fills the mayor's office for a two-year term ending November 2028, and the District 3 and District 4 seats for four-year terms ending November 2030. City of Encinitas
  • The District 1 and District 2 seats were last elected in November 2024 and their terms end in November 2028. City of Encinitas
  • The council adopted by-district elections with four single-member districts in Ordinance 2017-15 on Nov. 15, 2017. City of Encinitas
  • The mayor is recorded voting alongside the four council members on council roll calls. Encinitas City Council minutes, Aug. 26, 2026 · Aug 26, 2026

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

Take your ballot with you

Who is on your ballot, where each candidate stands, and the dates that matter, in one email you can carry to the polls. Sent right now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.