Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Palmdale City Council Election 2026

3 of 5

council seats up

3 contests

12 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 3 · 1 seat

Laura BettencourtIncumbentLaura Bettencourt is a crime and intelligence analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. She represents District 3 on the City Council and was first elected to the council in 2009.11sourced
Carlos D. CorderoCarlos D. Cordero is a sales associate who has lived and worked in Palmdale for the past 15 years. He has co-owned and operated a food truck with his brothers.2sourced
Jeremiah FarrellJeremiah Farrell is a local teacher who also teaches land surveying at the college level. He works in the land surveying industry.5sourced
Franzelle Louis Johnson Jr.Franzelle Louis Johnson Jr. is a small business owner and 12-year Palmdale resident.5sourced
Anain RoblesAnain Robles is a small business owner who works with local schools and youth programs.2sourced

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

City Council District 5 · 1 seat

Only voters who live in District 3, 4 or 5 vote in this council election; each picks one candidate for their own district, and the top vote-getter wins.

1 note on these statements

Votes from the July 7 and Aug. 4, 2026 meetings come from draft minutes published in the Sept. 1, 2026 council agenda packet. Palmdale City Council agenda packet, Sept. 1, 2026 (draft minutes of July 7 and Aug. 4, 2026) · Sep 1, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Austin BishopMayor Pro Tem; Councilmember, District 1; term expires November 202810sourced Richard J. LoaCouncilmember, District 2; term expires November 202812sourced

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

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesElected mayor, Sales tax (Measure PD), Communications contract 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

Elected mayor

Where it standsThe council picks the mayor each year from among its five members; a Nov. 3 ballot measure asks whether voters should elect a mayor citywide starting in 2028.

What's on the tableHow the council carries out the measure's result, including any legal review of the change.

The ballot asks whether to adopt an ordinance making the mayor an at-large elected office beginning with the November 2028 election. City of Palmdale · Jul 11, 2026
Under an ordinance adopted in April 2025, the council selects the mayor and mayor pro tem each year by a majority vote of the entire council. Palmdale City Council minutes, April 1, 2025 · Apr 1, 2025
The council voted 4-1 in July 2026 to put the question on the ballot; the measure's estimated cost is $436,000. Antelope Valley Press · Jul 25, 2026

Sales tax (Measure PD)

Where it standsMeasure PD raised Palmdale's sales tax in phases starting in April 2025; in August 2026 the council voted to delay the next increases.

What's on the tableWhether to keep the delay, let the increases take effect, or ask voters to repeal Measure PD.

Palmdale voters approved Measure PD in November 2024 with 54.99% of the vote. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk: Election results, Nov. 5, 2024 General Election · Dec 2, 2024
Measure PD was planned to phase in at 0.75% in April 2025, 0.25% in 2028 and 0.25% in 2029. City of Palmdale · Feb 24, 2025
Palmdale's combined sales tax rate is 11.75% as of Oct. 1, 2026. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration: City and county sales and use tax rates (effective Oct. 1, 2026) · Oct 1, 2026
City staff said in June 2026 that Measure PD generates $27 million a year and goes into the General Fund. Palmdale City Council minutes, June 2, 2026 · Jun 2, 2026

Communications contract

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council extended its contract with Tripepi Smith for communications services through December 2028.

What's on the tableHow much to spend on outside communications work and whether to keep, shrink or end the contract.

The amendment added $2,614,000, for a total of up to $5,552,000 over five years. Palmdale City Council agenda packet, Sept. 1, 2026 (draft minutes of July 7 and Aug. 4, 2026) · Sep 1, 2026
The city manager said the city paid slightly more than $1 million for the contract the previous year. Palmdale City Council agenda packet, Sept. 1, 2026 (draft minutes of July 7 and Aug. 4, 2026) · Sep 1, 2026

Auto Mall loans

Where it standsIn June 2026 the council approved economic development subsidy agreements, structured as loans, with Palmdale Auto Mall dealerships.

What's on the tableHow to oversee the loans and whether to use similar subsidies for other businesses.

The subsidy's estimated total value is $7,000,000, made up of seven loans of $1,000,000 each. Palmdale City Council agenda packet, June 2, 2026 (Auto Mall subsidy staff report) · Jun 2, 2026
The vote was 2-1; Mayor Pro Tem Austin Bishop and Councilmember Laura Bettencourt recused themselves. Palmdale City Council minutes, June 2, 2026 · Jun 2, 2026

Public safety

Where it standsPalmdale contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for law enforcement, managed by the city's Public Safety department.

What's on the tableHow much to spend on the Sheriff's contract and whether to fund other public safety approaches.

The city's Public Safety department manages contracts for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, animal care and control, and private security. City of Palmdale
The Public Safety director leads a staff of 37 handling code enforcement and other quality-of-life matters. City of Palmdale

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 Palmdale choose its mayor?
2. What should happen to the Measure PD sales tax?
3. Should the city have extended its outside communications contract through 2028?
4. Should the city lend money to Auto Mall dealers to keep them in Palmdale?
5. How should Palmdale approach policing?

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 mailingCounty of Los Angeles · Aug 21, 2026Oct 5, 2026
Last day to register to vote (conditional registration after)Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk: Calendar of events, Nov. 3, 2026 General ElectionOct 19, 2026
Vote centers openCounty of Los Angeles · Aug 21, 2026Oct 24, 2026
Election DayCounty of Los Angeles · Aug 21, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Austin Bishop, Richard J. Loa3 on this ballot

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

Districts 3, 4 and 5 each elect one councilmember to a full four-year term on Nov. 3, 2026. City of Palmdale · Jul 11, 2026
The council has five members, each representing one district; the mayor is one of the five. City of Palmdale
The council selects the mayor and mayor pro tem each year by majority vote, and they cannot serve back-to-back terms. Palmdale City Council minutes, April 1, 2025 · Apr 1, 2025
Eric Ohlsen became mayor on Jan. 1, 2026, and Austin Bishop is mayor pro tem, each for a one-year term. City of Palmdale · Dec 3, 2025

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.