Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Stockton City Council Election 2026

3 of 7

council seats up

3 contests

6 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

Michele PadillaIncumbentTeacher with Stockton Unified School District; has represented District 1 on the City Council since January 2023.10sourced
Tamica SmallSpent more than 20 years as a county probation officer; now works as a substitute teacher. Holds a bachelor's degree from California State University, Stanislaus.5sourced

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

City Council District 5 · 1 seat

Only voters in Districts 1, 3 and 5 vote in these runoffs; each district picks between its two top June primary finishers. All three incumbents are on the ballot.

2 notes on these statements

Desiree Lynch (District 5) withdrew from the race in August 2026, after the legal deadline, so her name remains on the ballot; a judge declined to remove it. Stocktonia · Aug 26, 2026

At the Sept. 3, 2026 NAACP and El Concilio forum, Michael Blower was the only council candidate who attended. Padilla and Small said they could not attend, Toccoli cited work and Villapudua said he was ill. Stocktonia · Sep 4, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Mario EnríquezCouncilmember, District 46sourced Christina FugaziMayor, elected in November 20246sourced Jason LeeVice Mayor; Councilmember, District 66sourced Mariela PonceCouncilmember, District 25sourced

Start here

Match quiz4 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesCouncil conduct and ethics reforms, Council pay, Affordable housing loans Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Mail ballots sent by this date; early voting opens at the Registrar of Voters' office

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Council conduct and ethics reforms

Where it standsA civil grand jury report in June 2026 called the council's conduct a governance problem. On Sept. 29, 2026 the council unanimously approved a response promising ethics rules, campaign contribution limits and an ethics commission.

What's on the tableThe new council will decide whether to create an independent ethics commission, what local campaign contribution limits to adopt, and how to enforce its own conduct rules.

The 2025-26 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury report on the council is titled "Governance in Turmoil." Stocktonia · Jun 25, 2026
The grand jury recommended local campaign contribution limits by Dec. 31, 2027 and an ethics commission or similar body launched by January 2028. Stocktonia · Jun 25, 2026
The council's approved response targets a campaign-contribution ordinance by Dec. 31, 2027 and an ethics commission or comparable body by January 2028. Stocktonia · Sep 30, 2026
A draft ordinance would let a five-member ethics commission impose penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Stocktonia · Sep 25, 2026

Council pay

Where it standsIn April 2026 the council voted 4-3 to raise council members' pay from $30,833 to $40,000 a year starting in 2027. The mayor's salary is unchanged.

What's on the tableMembers elected in November will be the first paid the new salary; the council could revisit it.

The raise passed 4-3: Fugazi, Villapudua, Padilla and Ponce voted yes; Lee, Blower and Enríquez voted no. Stocktonia · May 4, 2026
Vice Mayor Jason Lee's motion to delay the vote failed. Stocktonia · May 4, 2026
The mayor's $97,107 salary is not affected by the change. Stocktonia · May 4, 2026

Affordable housing loans

Where it standsIn April 2026 the council voted 4-3 to lend about $5 million to two affordable-housing projects city staff had not recommended, instead of a 108-unit project staff had recommended.

What's on the tableThe council decides future awards of state and federal housing money, including whether to follow staff's scored rankings.

The council voted 4-3 to award a roughly $4.4 million loan to the Brix project and about $1 million to a veterans' housing proposal, neither recommended by staff. Stocktonia · Apr 15, 2026
The civil grand jury report cited the April 2026 decision to fund developers that scored lower than other applicants. Stocktonia · Jun 25, 2026

Police staffing and substations

Where it standsThe council voted 6-1 in August 2025 to open two police substations in south Stockton; more substations were debated in 2026. In July 2026 it approved new police and fire contracts 7-0.

What's on the tableThe council decides whether to fund more substations and how to pay for police staffing within the general fund.

In August 2025 the department had 370 officers, short of the 425 authorized. Stocktonia · Aug 15, 2025
The July 2026 police, fire and management contracts add about $17.5 million to this fiscal year's budget. Stocktonia · Jul 8, 2026
In 2026, Mayor Fugazi said the police department should be fully staffed before the city funds other initiatives. Stocktonia · May 9, 2026

Homelessness

Where it standsSan Joaquin County's January 2026 count found 1,838 people living unsheltered, down 47% from 2024. Council members have proposed shelter, safe-camping and enforcement approaches.

What's on the tableThe council decides how to fund shelters, encampment cleanups and treatment programs.

The 2026 point-in-time count tallied 1,838 unsheltered people countywide, down 47% from 3,469 in 2024. Stocktonia · May 15, 2026
In April 2025 the council rejected, 4-3, an $825,000 homelessness pilot program; Blower, Enríquez, Lee and Fugazi voted against it. Stocktonia · Apr 30, 2025
Councilmember Padilla proposed a three-part plan of shelters, safe camping and parking sites, and voluntary relocation. Stocktonia · Oct 10, 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 council members' pay rise from about $30,800 to $40,000 a year?
2. When awarding affordable-housing loans, should the council follow city staff's scored rankings?
3. Should Stockton open more neighborhood police substations?
4. What should lead Stockton's response to homelessness?

Seat the Council →

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

Key dates

Mail ballots sent by this date; early voting opens at the Registrar of Voters' officeSan Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 5, 2026
Last day to register to vote (conditional registration continues through Election Day)San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 19, 2026
Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballotSan Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 27, 2026
Election Day (polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

4 stay (not up this year): Mario Enríquez, Christina Fugazi, Jason Lee, Mariela Ponce3 on this ballot

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

The City Council has seven members, six elected by district and a mayor elected citywide, and each has a vote. City of Stockton
Stockton has a council-manager form of government. City of Stockton
Council terms are four years, with a limit of two terms. City of Stockton
Districts 1, 3 and 5 are on the 2026 ballot, for terms from Jan. 1, 2027 to Dec. 31, 2030. City of Stockton City Clerk
In the June 2026 primary, Padilla led District 1 with 49.11%, Blower led District 3 with 48.24%, and Villapudua led District 5 with 34.04%. San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jun 24, 2026

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