Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Mountain View City Council Election 2026

3 of 7

council seats up

Vote for up to 3

8 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 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 · Vote for up to 3

Samuel AliGoogle security specialist and first-time candidate. Lists church volunteering as his community involvement.14sourced
Alex AmorosoU.S. Army Reserve officer and first-time candidate. Volunteers with Friends of the Mountain View Library, the Mountain View Rotary Club, Friends of Stevens Creek Trail and Hope’s Corner.14sourced
Robert CoxRetired software engineer. Chair of the city’s Rental Housing Committee, former Environmental Planning Commissioner (2013-2020) and a co-founder of Livable Mountain View.14sourced
Paul DonahueHardware engineer. Vice chair of the city’s Environmental Planning Commission; previously served on the Library Board, the Downtown Committee and the Parks and Recreation Commission.14sourced
James KuszmaulSoftware engineer. Member of the city’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee since 2021 and a volunteer lead with Mountain View YIMBY.14sourced
Silja PaymerLos Altos High School teacher. A founding member of the environmental group GreenSpacesMV and founder of the Cuesta Pollinator Habitat.14sourced
Erik PoiconSanta Clara County Library community outreach specialist. Member of the city’s Human Relations Committee and a Santa Clara County Human Rights Commissioner; ran for council in 2024.14sourced
IdaRose SylvesterEntrepreneur and educator. Member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission and a former Human Relations Committee member; ran for council in 2024.14sourced

Three of the seven City Council seats are on this ballot, all elected at large: voters citywide pick up to three candidates, and the top three vote-getters win four-year terms.

2 notes on these statements

No incumbent is running: Alison Hicks, Ellen Kamei and Lucas Ramirez have each served two consecutive terms and leave office in January. Mountain View Voice · Aug 11, 2026

All eight candidates took part in the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce forum on Aug. 27. Mountain View Voice · Aug 31, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Chris ClarkChosen vice mayor by a 7-0 council vote on Jan. 13, 2026. A former two-term councilmember, he was elected again in 2024, so his seat is not on this ballot.14sourced John McAlisterCouncilmember · term ends 202814sourced Emily Ann RamosChosen mayor by a 7-0 council vote on Jan. 13, 2026. Re-elected to the council in 2024, so her seat is not on this ballot.12sourced Pat ShowalterCouncilmember · term ends 202813sourced

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesHousing and SB 79, RVs and vehicle residents, Budget and taxes 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

Housing and SB 79

Where it standsMountain View must plan for 11,135 new homes by 2031. By the end of 2025 it had issued building permits for 1,867, or 16.8%.

What's on the tableHow to respond to SB 79 near Caltrain and light rail stations, including a local alternative plan and objective standards, and which pending housing projects to approve.

3,606 approved homes had not started construction and 4,914 more were under review, according to a city staff report. Mountain View Voice · Mar 10, 2026
City staff calculated that SB 79 affects about 21% of Mountain View’s land area. Mountain View Voice · Jan 28, 2026
In January 2026 the council directed staff to develop a local alternative plan to protect registered historic buildings downtown near the Caltrain station. Mountain View Voice · Jan 28, 2026
In December 2025 the council voted 6-1 to adopt rezoning for Housing Element Program 1.1(g); John McAlister voted no. City Council minutes · Dec 16, 2025

RVs and vehicle residents

Where it standsA lawsuit settlement requiring the city to keep at least 3 miles of streets open to oversized-vehicle parking expires Feb. 28, 2027.

What's on the tableWhether to add oversized-vehicle parking rules beyond the existing narrow-streets and bike-lane bans, and whether to add bike lanes on streets where RVs now park.

The city counted 438 inhabited vehicles on its streets in March 2026, up from 306 in August 2025; 402 were RVs and trailers. Mountain View Voice · Sep 22, 2026
Voters approved a ban on RVs and trailers parking on narrow streets in 2020. Mountain View Voice · Sep 22, 2026
City staff intend to bring plans for Intuit-funded bike lanes on streets near its campus, most of which now allow oversized-vehicle parking, to the council in December. Mountain View Voice · Sep 22, 2026
In March 2026 the council voted 7-0 to increase safe parking capacity at Shoreline Lot B. City Council minutes · Mar 24, 2026

Budget and taxes

Where it standsThe FY 2026-27 budget is balanced, but the city projects modest deficits starting in FY 2027-28 as costs grow faster than revenue.

What's on the tableIf Measure F passes, what hotel tax rate to set, up to 15%; and how to close later deficits.

Measure F would let the council raise the hotel tax from 10% to as much as 15%; the city estimates each 1% raises about $1.1 million a year. Impartial analysis of Measure F (City Attorney)
The city dropped plans for a general obligation bond and chose the hotel tax measure after a third round of polling. Mountain View Voice · Jun 24, 2026
The 2024 property transfer tax increase brought in $5.1 million in FY 2025-26, less than the $9.5 million expected. Mountain View Voice · Jun 17, 2026
General fund revenues are expected to reach $207.6 million in FY 2026-27. Mountain View Voice · Jun 17, 2026

Downtown and streets

Where it standsThe California Street bike-lane pilot is built and under review, and downtown street parking is free.

What's on the tableWhether to keep or change the California Street design after the city’s review, and how to manage downtown parking and the Castro Street train crossing.

The roughly $6 million California Street pilot removed one driving lane in each direction and 63 of 275 parking spots. Mountain View Voice · Jul 28, 2026
City staff plan to present California Street findings to the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee by early 2027. Mountain View Voice · Jul 28, 2026
In February 2026 the council voted 6-1 to approve the design concept for the transit center grade separation and access project at Castro and Evelyn. City Council minutes · Feb 10, 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. SB 79, a state law in effect since July 1, 2026, allows taller apartment buildings near Caltrain and light rail stations. Which comes closest to your view?
2. Should the city allow more housing density in neighborhoods made up largely of single-family homes?
3. A legal settlement that guarantees some street parking for RVs and other oversized vehicles expires Feb 28, 2027. Should the city further restrict oversized vehicles from parking on city streets?
4. The city projects modest budget deficits starting in 2027-28. Should it raise its business tax on major tech companies?
5. Street parking downtown is free. Should the city charge for it?
6. A pilot on California Street removed a driving lane in each direction to add protected bike lanes. What should the city do?

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
11-day vote centers openSanta Clara County Registrar of VotersOct 24, 2026
4-day vote centers openSanta Clara County Registrar of VotersOct 31, 2026

The seat math

4 stay (not up this year): Chris Clark, John McAlister, Emily Ann Ramos, Pat Showalter3 on this ballot

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

Seven councilmembers are elected at-large by city voters in November of even-numbered years, and each may serve at most two consecutive four-year terms. City of Mountain View election information
Mountain View is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. City of Mountain View election information
The mayor and vice mayor are elected by the council from among its members; in January 2026 it chose Emily Ann Ramos and Chris Clark, each by 7-0. City Council minutes · Jan 13, 2026
Also on the city ballot: Measure E (charter amendments) and Measure F (hotel tax increase). City of Mountain View election information

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