Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Oceanside City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

2 contests

7 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 District 1 · 1 seat

Michael ClineRetired Army Special Operations combat veteran and co-founder of the Military Legacy Foundation. He also served as an Army museum director and founded Reeftiger Corp.3sourced
Eric JoyceIncumbentDeputy Mayor and Councilmember, District 1; first elected November 202213sourced

City Council District 2 · 1 seat

Voters in District 1 or District 2 each pick one candidate for their district's council seat; the most votes wins. The mayor's office is not on this ballot.

6 notes on these statements

Rick Robinson appears on the ballot as Richard Robinson. City of Oceanside

KOCT's live District 1 forum featured Michael Cline and Eric Joyce. KOCT

Ballotpedia lists the San Diego County Democratic Party among endorsers of Eric Joyce. Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia lists the San Diego County Democratic Party among endorsers of Emily Gonzales. Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia lists the San Diego County Republican Party among endorsers of Michael Cline. Ballotpedia

Ballotpedia lists the San Diego County Republican Party among endorsers of Richard Robinson (Rick Robinson). Ballotpedia

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Jimmy FigueroaCouncilmember, District 3; elected November 20246sourced Esther SanchezMayor; re-elected November 20247sourced Peter WeissCouncilmember, District 4; re-elected November 20248sourced

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

Start here

Match quiz7 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesSales tax (Measure S), Prevailing wage (Measure R), Housing, rents and growth Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Ballots start going out

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Sales tax (Measure S)

Where it standsThe council voted 5-0 in June 2026 to put a 10-year, half-cent sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot as Measure S.

What's on the tableIf Measure S passes, the next council will adopt yearly spending plans for the new money, with recommendations from a citizens' oversight committee.

Measure S would raise Oceanside's sales tax rate from 8.25% to 8.75% for ten years, starting on or after April 1, 2027. City Attorney's impartial analysis of Measure S · Aug 14, 2026
The city estimates Measure S would raise about $20 million a year, which may be used for any lawful municipal purpose. City Attorney's impartial analysis of Measure S · Aug 14, 2026
City officials named replacing the pier's approach ramp, restoring beach sand, a new police headquarters and a permanent Fire Station 8 as needs the tax would help pay for. San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 25, 2026

Prevailing wage (Measure R)

Where it standsThe council placed Measure R, a city charter amendment on prevailing wages and project labor agreements, on the ballot in June 2026.

What's on the tableIf Measure R passes, the council will decide whether to use project labor agreements on city public works projects.

Measure R would affirm prevailing wage requirements for city public works projects and allow, but not require, project labor agreements. City Attorney's impartial analysis of Measure R · Aug 14, 2026
The City Attorney says the city already pays prevailing wage on public works and has kept its eligibility for state funding. City Attorney's impartial analysis of Measure R · Aug 14, 2026
The council voted 4-0 to place the measure on the ballot, with Councilmember Peter Weiss absent. Oceanside City Council minutes, June 3, 2026 · Jun 3, 2026
In May 2026 the council voted 4-1, with Weiss voting no, to pursue a charter amendment to keep state grant eligibility. Oceanside City Council minutes, May 20, 2026 · May 20, 2026

Housing, rents and growth

Where it standsThe council adopted the Onward Oceanside general plan update 5-0 in June 2026. Proposals for local rent stabilization and a tenant protection ordinance failed 2-3 in September 2025.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to revisit tenant protections and the affordable-housing share, and will vote on the projects the new plan allows.

The updated general plan projects 16,875 more housing units in Oceanside by 2050, about 8,300 of them in its smart and sustainable corridors. San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 28, 2026
A motion to have staff plan raising the corridor program's affordable-housing share from 15% to 20% failed 2-3. Oceanside City Council minutes, June 24, 2026 · Jun 24, 2026
The Residential Tenant Protections ordinance, introduced 3-2 on Sept. 3, 2025, failed 2-3 at adoption on Sept. 17, 2025. Oceanside City Council minutes, Sept. 17, 2025 · Sep 17, 2025

Homelessness

Where it standsOceanside's 2026 point-in-time count found 569 people experiencing homelessness, 362 of them unsheltered.

What's on the tableThe next council will set funding for the city's shelter, outreach and housing programs.

The council voted 5-0 in May 2026 to create the Homeless Evaluation, Assistance & Response Team (HEART), a city-coordinated outreach model. Oceanside City Council minutes, May 20, 2026 · May 20, 2026
Of 190 people served at the 75-bed Oceanside Navigation Center last fiscal year, 10% left with permanent housing. San Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 15, 2026
Measure X sales tax money provides $1.5 million to the Navigation Center and $330,000 to safe parking. San Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 15, 2026

Immigration enforcement

Where it standsIn September 2025 the council voted 5-0 for Know Your Rights information and limits on sharing residents' sensitive data with immigration agencies; a community trust resolution failed 2-3 in October 2025.

What's on the tableThe next council could take up a community trust resolution again.

The council voted 5-0 to direct staff to bar federal immigration enforcement in non-public areas of city property without a judicial warrant, unless state or federal law requires otherwise. Oceanside City Council minutes, Sept. 17, 2025 · Sep 17, 2025
A motion to fund crisis relief case management through a community organization failed 2-3. Oceanside City Council minutes, Sept. 17, 2025 · Sep 17, 2025
A motion to add a community trust resolution failed 2-3, and the council accepted staff's report on actions taken. Oceanside City Council minutes, Oct. 15, 2025 · Oct 15, 2025

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 Oceanside raise its sales tax by half a cent for 10 years (Measure S)?
2. Should Oceanside amend its charter to require prevailing wages on public works and allow project labor agreements (Measure R)?
3. Should Oceanside cap yearly rent increases on some apartments?
4. How much affordable housing should new projects in the city's growth corridors include?
5. Should Oceanside have adopted the Onward Oceanside general plan update, which steers most new homes into transit corridors?
6. How should Oceanside staff its new HEART homeless outreach program?
7. Should Oceanside adopt a community trust resolution on federal immigration enforcement?

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

3 stay (not up this year): Jimmy Figueroa, Esther Sanchez, Peter Weiss2 on this ballot

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

The City Council has five members: the mayor, elected at-large, and four councilmembers elected by district. City of Oceanside
The mayor and councilmembers serve staggered four-year terms. City of Oceanside
The Nov. 3, 2026 election fills the District 1 and District 2 seats, each for a full four-year term. City of Oceanside · Jul 27, 2026
Oceanside has a council-manager government; the city manager carries out policies set by the City Council. City of Oceanside

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