GonzalesNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Gonzales Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 8 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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Election Day (Nov 3): 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.

Every Gonzales voter can vote for mayor; each council seat on this ballot is elected only by voters who live in that district.

Election Day · Nov 3

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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.

What the next council decides

01Paying for the fire department4 sourced facts

Where it standsMeasure B, a parcel tax for fire and emergency medical services, failed in June 2026, and the city cut recreation programs to redirect money to fire services.

What's on the tableHow to keep funding the Gonzales Fire Department, including whether to seek a new revenue source.

02Vista Lucia housing development4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council approved the Vista Lucia plan in September 2025, and LAFCO approved the annexation 6-0 on September 28, 2026.

What's on the tableHow the city carries the project forward, including builders, infrastructure and the timing of each phase.

03City budget and Measure K spending2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the 2026-27 operating budget in August 2026 after running on interim funding since July.

What's on the tableHow to balance city spending, including what the Measure K sales tax pays for.

04Street and sidewalk safety2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council took up a Vision Zero Action Plan for traffic safety in September 2026.

What's on the tableWhich street, sidewalk and crossing projects the city funds first and which grants it pursues.

05Mayor's term and term limits2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe mayor is elected at large for a two-year term, and in July 2026 the council directed staff to research council term limits and bring them back in 2028.

What's on the tableWhether to propose changes to the mayor's term length or council term limits.

4 notes on these statements

Mayor Jose Rios is not seeking reelection; Elizabeth Silva, Andrew Castillo and Henry Laizure McDowell are running for mayor. Salinas Valley Now · Aug 14, 2026

Adrian Paco is running unopposed for the District 3 council seat. Salinas Valley Now · Aug 19, 2026

Henry Laizure McDowell did not file a candidate statement. Salinas Valley Now · Aug 14, 2026

Constance "Connie" Arellano and Henry Martinez Sr. are running for a partial two-year term for District 4. Salinas Valley Now · Aug 19, 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 Gonzales move ahead with the Vista Lucia housing development?

  2. 2. Should Measure K sales tax money fund Community Action Grants for local groups?

  3. 3. Should the council have adopted the 2026-27 operating budget as proposed?

  4. 4. What should come first in making Gonzales streets safer?

  5. 5. Should the Gonzales mayor's term be extended from two years to four?

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 voted3 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Scott Funk4 on this ballot

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

  • The November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election will elect one council member each in Districts 1 and 3 for four-year terms, one in District 4 for a two-year term, and the mayor at large for a two-year term. City of Gonzales · Jul 1, 2026
  • For the elections in Districts 1, 3 and 4, only registered voters within each district can vote for the candidate running for that district. City of Gonzales · Jul 1, 2026
  • The Gonzales City Council meets the first and third Monday at 6 pm in the City Council Chambers at 117 Fourth Street. City of Gonzales
  • Council Member Scott Funk's term runs from 2024 to 2028. City of Gonzales

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