A handful of California cities will hold special elections on August 26 to fill vacant City Council seats. All of the contests will be conducted entirely by mail. Ballots will be sent to voters by July 28 — exactly 29 days before Election Day.
Arvin City Council, District 5
The Arvin City Council has been without a full quorum since Juan Murillo resigned from the 5th District last August. In February, the Kern County Grand Jury criticized city leaders for failing to appoint or elect a replacement, stating that the vacancy had hindered Arvin’s ability to govern. After months of gridlock, the City Council approved a special election. The at-large election will cost approximately $30,000.
There are three candidates running to replace Murillo:
Annabel Quintino Rubio, Director of Nutrition Services at the Vineland School District
Henry R. Oliver, Veteran and Member of Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 97
Tim Tarver, former Arvin Councilmember and Mayor
Each candidate brings strong community ties and a history of civic engagement. These are important assets, as the city works to rebuild public trust amid infighting, infrastructure challenges, and longstanding concerns over transparency and oversight.
The winner of the District 5 election will serve through November 2026.
Buellton City Council, District 4
Two candidates are competing for Buellton’s 4th District seat, which was left vacant after David Silva’s election as Mayor:
Carla Mead, Chair of Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society-Dog Adoption and Welfare Group
Dave King, Retired CHP Officer and Former Buellton City Councilmember/Mayor
The City Council initially planned to fill the vacancy by appointment, but members were evenly split between Mead and King. Now, it’s up to voters to decide.
Only District 4 voters will participate in this election. The district includes Eastern Buellton — including Village Townhomes, Thumbelina Village and Ballard Canyon — plus the area west of Highway 101.
The winner will serve out the remainder of Silva’s term, which is set to expire in late 2026.
Los Banos City Council, District 1
The Los Banos City Council has undergone some major shakeups in recent months. In January, Evan Sanders and Marcus Chavez were appointed to the dais following the successful recall of Brett Jones and Doug Begonia Jr. That same month, Kenneth Lambert resigned from his District 1 seat.
Under California law, the majority of a City Council must be composed of elected members. As a result, Lambert’s seat must be filled by special election.
There are two candidates in this race:
Kalid “Virriy” Sanchez
Mitzy Perez
Sanchez and Perez have a lot in common. Both are UC Merced graduates, finance professionals, and women under 40 who were raised outside of Los Banos.
The winner will join a City Council still reeling from years of political upheaval. One of their first major responsibilities will be helping select Los Banos’ next permanent city manager.