Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Gilroy City Council Election 2026

3 of 7

council seats up

3 contests

8 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.

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

Diana Sanchez BentzCareer paralegal at a global law firm and chair of the City of Gilroy Open Government Commission. Has attended Gilroy City Council meetings for about 20 years.3sourced
Fred TovarHigher education professional and former Gilroy City Councilmember who served from 2016 through 2024. Works as a college admissions consultant.4sourced

City Council District 5 · 1 seat

City Council District 6 · 1 seat

Gilroy elects its council by district for the first time. Voters in District 4, 5 or 6 pick one candidate for their own district's seat; the top vote-getter wins. The mayor is not on the 2026 ballot.

2 notes on these statements

Councilmembers Dion Bracco and Carol Marques are not running again, and their terms expire in December 2026. Gilroy Dispatch

Tom Cline is a sitting at-large councilmember seeking the new District 5 seat; the San Jose Spotlight reports that no candidate is an incumbent in the switch to district elections. San Jose Spotlight · Aug 27, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Greg BozzoMayor (elected at large); term ends 20283sourced Terence FugazziCouncilmember (elected at large); term ends 20283sourced Zach HiltonCouncilmember (elected at large); term ends 20283sourced Kelly RamirezCouncilmember (elected at large); term ends 20283sourced

Start here

Match quiz2 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesPaying for police, fire and city services, Data centers, Camp Hope encampment Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots begin mailing (week of)

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Paying for police, fire and city services

Where it standsThe council voted 4-3 on June 1, 2026 against placing a 0.25% public safety sales tax on the ballot, and a hotel tax increase is on the November ballot.

What's on the tableHow Gilroy pays for police, fire and street services, and how any new hotel tax revenue is used.

A resolution to place a 0.25% public safety special transactions and use tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot failed 4-3 on June 1, 2026. City Council minutes · Jun 1, 2026
The November ballot asks voters to raise the hotel tax rate from 9% to a not-to-exceed maximum of 13%. City of Gilroy Resolution 2026-30 (hotel tax measure)
The measure's ballot question says the increase would provide $700,000 annually paid only by hotel and lodging guests. Gilroy Dispatch

Data centers

Where it standsOn Sept. 14, 2026 the council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new data center development; an Amazon data center approved in 2025 is under construction.

What's on the tableWhether to extend the moratorium and what zoning, siting and operating standards data centers must meet.

The moratorium takes effect immediately for 45 days and the council may extend it in two phases, up to two years in total. City of Gilroy press release · Sep 14, 2026
The Amazon data center under construction on Camino Arroyo was approved in 2025 by the community development director, without planning commission or council review. San Jose Inside
On Aug. 17 the council voted to require more public outreach and planning commission review for projects that require an environmental impact report. San Jose Inside

Camp Hope encampment

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council voted 5-2 to let Camp Hope keep operating month to month, a decision it can revise at any time.

What's on the tableWhether and when the encampment at Sixth Street closes, and what the city provides in the meantime.

In February 2026 the council voted 4-2 to suspend enforcement at the Sixth Street encampment for up to 90 days, provide sanitation services, and abate it afterward. City Council minutes · Feb 9, 2026
On May 4, 2026 the council voted 5-2 to let Camp Hope continue to operate month to month, barring problems raised by police and quality of life officers. City Council minutes · May 4, 2026

Civic center and community center

Where it standsA draft Civic Center Master Plan calls for demolishing Wheeler Auditorium and building new recreation and community facilities in its place.

What's on the tableWhether to build new community facilities or remodel and expand existing ones.

The draft Gilroy Civic Center Master Plan calls for demolishing Wheeler Auditorium and building new, separate recreation and community facilities. Gilroy Dispatch
Retiring Councilmember Dion Bracco said he hopes the city will come around on building a new community center by remodeling and expanding Wheeler Auditorium. Gilroy Dispatch

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. Gilroy needs more money for police and fire staffing. Which comes closest to your view?
2. What should the city do about the Camp Hope encampment on Sixth Street?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Vote-by-mail ballots begin mailing (week of)Santa Clara County Registrar of VotersOct 5, 2026
Last day to register to vote (conditional registration after)Santa Clara County Registrar of VotersOct 19, 2026

The seat math

4 stay (not up this year): Greg Bozzo, Terence Fugazzi, Zach Hilton, Kelly Ramirez3 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

Gilroy's council has six councilmembers and a mayor who is elected at large; council terms are four years. Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters
The council moved from at-large to district-based elections; Districts 4, 5 and 6 are on the November 3, 2026 ballot and Districts 1, 2 and 3 on the November 7, 2028 ballot. Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters
The mayor is elected at large and is not on the ballot until the current four-year term ends in 2028. Gilroy Dispatch
The mayor votes on council items: Mayor Greg Bozzo is recorded among the ayes and nays in council roll-call votes. City Council minutes · Jun 1, 2026

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

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.