Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Montebello City Council Election 2026

4 of 5

council seats up

5 contests

12 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 1 · 1 seat

Kimberly Cobos CawthorneFormer Montebello mayor and councilmember and founder of Moving Montebello Forward.2sourced
Shazia HoqRetail business president and former Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council vice president.2sourced
Rafael SantoyaLicensed marriage and family therapist and Los Angeles County employee with a Ph.D.2sourced
Georgina TamayoIncumbentMontebello mayor and District 1 councilmember with a government career in development and finance. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from UCLA.5sourced

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

City Council District 5 · 1 seat

City Treasurer · Unopposed

David MatangaIncumbentMontebello city treasurer with a career as a State of California senior tax compliance representative.2sourced

Voters in Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5 each elect one council member; Districts 1, 3 and 5 for four-year terms and District 4 for the unexpired term ending in November 2028. Voters citywide also elect the City Treasurer. District 2 is not on this ballot.

3 notes on these statements

Salvador Melendez holds the District 3 seat, with a current term of December 2022 to December 2026. City of Montebello

Ricardo "Ric" Alonzo says he was appointed to represent District 5 on January 29, 2025. Montebello candidate statement

David Matanga is the one candidate listed for City Treasurer on the city's certified list. City of Montebello

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Scarlet PeraltaCouncilmember, District 2; term ends December 20284sourced

Start here

Match quiz3 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesRezoning for housing and the golf course site, SB 79 moratorium near Washington Boulevard, Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots begin mailing

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Rezoning for housing and the golf course site

Where it standsIn March 2026 the council split 2-3 on a rezoning ordinance with added conditions, then introduced it as amended with the golf course removed from the zoning map.

What's on the tableWhether and how Montebello rezones sites listed in its Housing Element, and what happens to the city-owned golf course site.

The March 25, 2026 agenda included Ordinance No. 2490, rezoning certain properties to match the 2040 General Plan and the opportunity sites in the 6th Cycle Housing Element (2021-2029). Montebello City Council minutes, March 25, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Mar 25, 2026
Planning Director Joseph Palombi told the council the state Department of Housing and Community Development issued a corrective action letter in October 2025. Montebello City Council minutes, March 25, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Mar 25, 2026
Palombi said approval of the item does not obligate the city to move forward with any development. Montebello City Council minutes, March 25, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Mar 25, 2026
Councilmember Peralta's motion to approve the ordinance with conditions failed 2-3; a new motion to introduce it as amended, with the golf course removed from the zoning map, was approved unanimously. Montebello City Council minutes, March 25, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Mar 25, 2026

SB 79 moratorium near Washington Boulevard

Where it standsThe council adopted a temporary moratorium on certain SB 79 development applications along Washington Boulevard in June 2026.

What's on the tableWhether to extend or end the pause and what local rules to adopt for transit-oriented development in the Washington Boulevard area.

On June 24, 2026 the council adopted Urgency Ordinance No. 2495 establishing a temporary moratorium on certain Senate Bill 79 development applications in the Washington Boulevard Transit-Oriented Development Specific Plan area. Montebello City Council minutes, June 24, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 24, 2026
The June 24 vote was 4-0 with Councilmember Alonzo absent. Montebello City Council minutes, June 24, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 24, 2026
On July 27, 2026 the council received the required 10-day report on the 45-day moratorium. Montebello City Council minutes, July 27, 2026 (Special Meeting) · Jul 27, 2026

Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District

Where it standsThe council voted in June 2026 to declare its intention to form an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District and start the formation process.

What's on the tableWhether to complete formation of the district and which infrastructure projects it would finance.

On June 24, 2026 the council adopted Resolution No. 26-46 declaring its intention to establish the Montebello Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD). Montebello City Council minutes, June 24, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 24, 2026
The action designated the City Council as the Public Financing Authority governing the EIFD and directed staff and consultants to prepare an Infrastructure Financing Plan. Montebello City Council minutes, June 24, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 24, 2026

City budget and spending priorities

Where it standsThe council adopted the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget on June 10, 2026.

What's on the tableHow the city spends its operating and capital budget, including public safety, and how it oversees spending going forward.

On June 10, 2026 the council approved Resolution No. 26-41 adopting the Fiscal Year 2026-27 operating and capital budgets for all funds. Montebello City Council minutes, June 10, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 10, 2026
The council also approved Resolution No. 26-42 adopting the compensation plan and salary matrix and Resolution No. 26-43 establishing the appropriations limit for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Montebello City Council minutes, June 10, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Jun 10, 2026
On March 25, 2026 the council received and filed feedback from the Fiscal Year 2026-27 community budget forums and budget survey. Montebello City Council minutes, March 25, 2026 (Regular Meeting) · Mar 25, 2026

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. Should Montebello pause new SB 79 development applications near Washington Boulevard?
2. Should the city expand police and fire resources in the budget?
3. Should the city audit its spending?

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 mailingLos Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk: Calendar of events, Nov. 3, 2026 General ElectionOct 5, 2026
Last day to register to voteLos Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk: Calendar of events, Nov. 3, 2026 General ElectionOct 19, 2026
Election DayCity of MontebelloNov 3, 2026

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Scarlet Peralta4 on this ballot

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

The five City Council members are elected to overlapping four-year terms and annually select one of their members to serve as Mayor. City of Montebello
The November 3, 2026 election fills the District 1, District 3, District 4 and District 5 council seats and the City Treasurer office. Terms for Districts 1, 3 and 5 run November 2026 to November 2030; District 4 runs November 2026 to November 2028. City of Montebello
On December 9, 2025 the council chose Georgina Tamayo as Mayor and Danielle Romero as Mayor Pro Tem, both by unanimous votes. Montebello City Council minutes, December 9, 2025 (Regular Meeting) · Dec 9, 2025

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