Richmond, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Richmond Mayor Election 2026

1 of 7

council seats up

Vote for up to 1

2 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.

Mayor · 1 seat

Every Richmond voter chooses between the two mayoral candidates who led the June primary; the winner needs a majority. No council seats are on the November ballot.

4 notes on these statements

In the June 2, 2026 primary, Claudia Jiménez received 38.56% and Ahmad Anderson 27.98%; Mayor Eduardo Martinez (19.48%), Demnlus Johnson III and Mark Wassberg did not advance. Contra Costa County · Jun 25, 2026

Councilmembers Cesar Zepeda (District 2), Doria Robinson (District 3) and Soheila Bana (District 4) won majorities in the 2026 primary and are not on the November ballot. City of Richmond

Claudia Jiménez holds the District 6 council seat; that term expires January 2029. City of Richmond

Measure Q, a $120 million fire station bond placed on the ballot by the council, is on the same ballot and needs a two-thirds vote. City of Richmond

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Soheila BanaCouncilmember, District 4; re-elected in the 2026 primary, new term begins January 12, 20275sourcedJamelia BrownCouncilmember, District 1; term expires January 20296sourcedDoria RobinsonCouncilmember, District 3; re-elected in the 2026 primary, new term begins January 12, 20277sourcedSue WilsonCouncilmember, District 5; term expires January 20296sourcedCesar ZepedaCouncilmember, District 2; re-elected in the 2026 primary, new term begins January 12, 20277sourced

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

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesPolice staffing, License-plate cameras, Chevron settlementKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots mailed; drop-off locations open

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Police staffing

Where it standsThe police department is budgeted for 143 officers; a proposed charter amendment on minimum police staffing is listed for a future election, not this one.

What's on the tableHow many officers to fund, and how to split public safety money between police and programs such as crisis response.

  • The police department is currently budgeted for 143 officers. Richmondside · Oct 2, 2026
  • The Richmond Police Officers Association has begun organizing a ballot measure to set minimum police staffing; none qualified for the November 2026 election. Richmondside · Sep 22, 2026
  • The City Clerk lists a proposed Public Safety Funding and Minimum Staffing Charter Amendment initiative for a future election. City of Richmond

License-plate cameras

Where it standsFlock's camera contract expires Dec. 31, 2026; in September the council put off a switch to Axon until it reviews data on the cameras' effectiveness.

What's on the tableWhether to keep automated license-plate reader cameras, with which vendor, and under what data-sharing rules.

Chevron settlement

Where it standsRichmond is receiving $550 million from Chevron over 10 years; in September 2026 the council voted to start a public process on how to spend it.

What's on the tableHow to spend the settlement money, and how much of it goes to regular city operations.

Data centers

Where it standsA 45-day moratorium on new data centers took effect in September 2026.

What's on the tableWhether to extend the moratorium and what rules, if any, should govern data centers in Richmond.

Ethics commission

Where it standsIn July 2026 the council voted 3-4 against a motion to put an independent ethics commission measure on the November ballot.

What's on the tableWhether to revisit an independent ethics commission for a future ballot.

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. Should Richmond require a minimum number of police officers?

  2. 2. Should Richmond keep using automated license-plate reader cameras?

  3. 3. What should come first in spending the $550 million Chevron settlement?

  4. 4. Should Richmond pause new data centers while it studies their effects?

  5. 5. Should Richmond create an independent ethics commission to investigate officials?

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

5 stay (not up this year): Soheila Bana, Jamelia Brown, Doria Robinson, Sue Wilson, Cesar Zepeda1 on this ballot

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

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

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