Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

National City Mayor & Council Election 2026

3 of 5

council seats up

3 contests

9 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.

Mayor · 1 seat

Ruble Mitchel BeauchampBiologist who served as National City's city treasurer from 2006 to 2025 and on the council from 1994 to 2002. He holds master's degrees in botany and biology.5sourced
Marcus BushCity planner and District 4 councilmember, on the council since 2020. He chaired the National City Planning Commission and was vice mayor in 2022 and 2025.8sourced
Jacobb CastrejonSTEM enrichment instructor with a social psychology degree from UC San Diego. He was vice chair of CALPIRG Students' UC San Diego chapter.4sourced
Jose RodriguezDistrict 2 councilmember and former labor organizer, first elected in 2020. He was re-elected in 2024.8sourced

City Council District 1 · 1 seat

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

All voters pick one candidate for mayor; voters in District 1 also pick one District 1 councilmember, and voters in District 3 one District 3 councilmember.

2 notes on these statements

Mayor Ron Morrison is not running; Councilmembers Marcus Bush of District 4 and Jose Rodriguez of District 2 are running for mayor. San Diego Union-Tribune · Oct 4, 2026

Jerry Cano did not appear at the Aug. 28, 2026 candidate forum. inewsource · Aug 31, 2026

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesBudget deficit, Council budgets and turnover, Housing and rents Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Ballots start going out

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Budget deficit

Where it standsNational City faces a structural deficit of nearly $13 million, and its city manager has warned of fiscal insolvency by 2030 if reserves keep being depleted.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how to close the deficit, including cuts, hiring, and whether to put a business license tax before voters.

City Manager Douglas Schulze inherited a nearly $13 million deficit and warned the city is headed for fiscal insolvency by 2030 if officials continue to deplete reserves. inewsource · Aug 16, 2026
The council in a split vote rejected a proposed ballot measure that could have generated up to $7 million in annual city revenue by increasing the cost of business licenses. inewsource · Aug 16, 2026
The council voted 3-2 to work with the National City Chamber of Commerce on reforming the business-tax proposal, aiming for a 2027 special election. San Diego Union-Tribune · Oct 4, 2026

Council budgets and turnover

Where it standsEach council district has had a $100,000 annual budget since 2023, and the city manager's office has turned over repeatedly.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to keep, change or suspend the district budgets and how it works with the city manager.

The council voted 3-2 in 2023 to give each of the four districts a budget of $100,000, on a motion by Councilmember Marcus Bush. San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 17, 2023
Three people have cycled through the city manager's office in the past year; Schulze took over two months before the article. inewsource · Aug 16, 2026

Housing and rents

Where it standsAbout one in three National City homes are owner-occupied and the rest are rented.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how the city uses its land, permitting and tenant rules to address housing costs.

Owners occupy about 1 in 3 homes in National City and renters live in the rest. inewsource · Aug 31, 2026
Jose Rodriguez said a 2023 council policy he introduced opened paths to home ownership on city land; the policy identified six city-owned properties. inewsource · Aug 31, 2026

Bayfront and the Port

Where it standsThe Port of San Diego voted in July 2026 to move forward on early stages of the National City Balanced Plan for the bayfront.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how to work with the Port on hotels, park space and bayfront costs.

The Port voted to move forward on early stages of the development known as the National City Balanced Plan, including potential hotels near Pepper Park. inewsource · Aug 16, 2026
The city already collects an average of $2 million per year in hotel taxes. inewsource · Aug 31, 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. How should National City raise revenue to close its budget deficit?
2. How should the city handle staffing while it closes the deficit?
3. What should happen to the $100,000 annual council district budgets?
4. Should National City limit rent increases?
5. What role should the city play in building housing?

Seat the Council →

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

Key dates

Ballots start going outSan Diego County Registrar of VotersOct 5, 2026
Voter registration deadline (conditional registration after)San Diego County Registrar of VotersOct 19, 2026
Select vote centers openSan Diego County Registrar of VotersOct 24, 2026
All vote centers openSan Diego County Registrar of VotersOct 31, 2026
Election DaySan Diego County Registrar of VotersNov 3, 2026

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 3 on this ballot

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

National City is a General Law City governed by a five-member City Council: the mayor, elected at large to a four-year term, and four councilmembers elected by district. City of National City
The mayor and the Council seats for Districts 1 and 3 are on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. City of National City
The mayor mostly serves as another member of the city council, with added responsibilities including representing the city and more say over agenda items. KPBS · Oct 2, 2026
On Dec. 21, 2021, the City Council voted to elect councilmembers by district rather than at large. City of National City

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