Napa, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Napa City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

2 contests

3 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 · Unopposed

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

Napa elects four councilmembers by district and the mayor citywide. Districts 1 and 3 each elect one councilmember on Nov. 3; the mayor and Districts 2 and 4 are not on this ballot.

2 notes on these statements

Christopher DeNatale is the only candidate on the ballot for District 1. Mary Luros and Jim Hinton are the two candidates for District 3. Napa County Elections

Christopher DeNatale was appointed to the District 1 seat in January 2025, filling a vacancy left when Liz Alessio became a Napa County supervisor. Napa Valley Register

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Bernie NarvaezCouncilmember, District 4; term ends December 20286sourcedBeth PainterCouncilmember, District 2; term ends December 20286sourcedScott SedgleyMayor (elected at large); term ends December 20285sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesHotels, tourism and development, Traffic cameras and license plate readers, City budget, Measure G and the Harvest siteKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

First day to mail vote-by-mail ballots

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Hotels, tourism and development

Where it standsSeveral hotel and visitor-lodging projects have come before the council, including a downtown hotel and condominium project approved in June 2025.

What's on the tableThe next council will rule on further hotel, lodging and design-review proposals and on how much city policy favors visitors versus residents.

  • On June 24, 2025, the City Council approved a development agreement for a project with one hotel of up to 161 rooms and one condominium building of up to 78 units. City of Napa
  • In March 2025 the council voted 4-1 to deny, without prejudice, a glamping campground application on Silverado Trail. Napa City Council minutes · Mar 18, 2025
  • In December 2025 the council voted 3-1 to approve a facade modification and two-year use permit extension for a hotel project at 730 Water Street. Napa City Council minutes · Dec 2, 2025

Traffic cameras and license plate readers

Where it standsNapa runs automated red-light cameras and its police department uses Flock license plate readers; a candidate in District 3 wants both removed.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to keep, change or cancel the camera and plate-reader contracts.

  • The City Council approved the red-light enforcement program in August 2023, with cameras planned at four intersections. City of Napa
  • The Napa Police Department's policy lists Flock Safety as the vendor of fixed license plate reader cameras in the city. Napa Police Department policy 428
  • At the council's March 17 meeting, several residents urged the city to cancel its contract with Flock Safety. Napa Valley Register

City budget, Measure G and the Harvest site

Where it standsThe council adopted a two-year budget in June 2025 and mid-cycle amendments in June 2026, and bought the former Harvest Middle School site in December 2025.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee Measure G spending, the next budget cycle and the design of the Harvest Park recreation campus.

  • The FY 2025/26 budget adopted in June 2025 estimated revenues of $163.4 million and expenditures of $163.2 million, including $22.4 million in Measure G sales tax revenue. City of Napa
  • The city closed on the 26.6-acre former Harvest Middle School site on Dec. 12, 2025, acquired for $25 million from the Napa Valley Unified School District. City of Napa
  • In June 2026 the council voted 5-0 to adopt amendments to the FY 2026/27 budget. Napa City Council minutes · Jun 2, 2026

Housing

Where it standsThe city updated its accessory dwelling unit rules in 2025 and applied for state Homekey+ funds for supportive housing.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how to apply the city's housing rules and local housing funds.

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. How should Napa treat proposals for new hotels and other visitor lodging?

  2. 2. What should Napa do about its red-light cameras and license plate readers?

  3. 3. How should Napa add housing?

  4. 4. What role should the city play in local events?

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

3 stay (not up this year): Bernie Narvaez, Beth Painter, Scott Sedgley2 on this ballot

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

  • Napa's City Council has a mayor elected at large and councilmembers for Districts 1 through 4. City of Napa
  • The two seats on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot are Councilmember, District 1 and District 3, each for a four-year term. City of Napa

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