RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, RECITING THE FACT OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD IN SAID CITY ON THE 2ND DAY OF JUNE, 2026, DECLARING THE RESULTS THEREOF AND SETTING FORTH SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS ARE PROVIDED BY LAW.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 24342, adopted January 6, 2026, an election was held on June 2, 2026, for the purpose of electing members of the City Council for Wards 2, 4, and 6; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 24360, adopted March 3, 2026, an election was held on June 2, 2026, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the City of Riverside Measure Z, a measure to renew the City’s Transaction and Use Tax (Sales Tax) at an updated one and one quarter percent rate until ended by the voters; and WHEREAS, notice of said election was duly and regularly given in the time, form and manner as provided by law; election officers were appointed and in all respects said election was held and the returns made and declared in the time, form, and manner as required by the provisions of the Charter of the City of Riverside and the Elections Code of the State of California; and WHEREAS, the Riverside County Registrar of Voters canvassed the returns of said election and has certified the results to this City Council and said results are received, attached, and made a part hereof as Exhibit “A;” and WHEREAS, the California Elections code section 10262, “Canvassing of returns and certification of results,” provides that “(b) For a consolidated election, the city elections official, upon receipt of the results of the election from the elections official conducting the election, shall certify the results to the governing body which shall, no later than the next regularly scheduled city council meeting following presentation of the 28–day canvass of the returns, or at a special meeting called for this purpose, comply with the applicable provisions of Section 10263;” and WHEREAS, Riverside City Charter section 400(c) states “If in an election for a member of the City Council for any ward, or for the office of Mayor, no candidate receives a majority of the total votes cast for the office, the City Council shall immediately upon the determination of that fact, call a special election to be held on the same day as the statewide election of that same year, consistent with the general election date set by the State. The two candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the office in the general municipal election shall be declared the candidates for the special election;” and WHEREAS, Riverside City Charters section 400(e) states, “Officials elected at the general municipal election shall take office on the second Tuesday following completion of the canvass, but in no event later than the fifth Tuesday following the general municipal election;” and WHEREAS, the California Elections Code section 15400 states: "The governing board shall also declare the results of each election under its jurisdiction as to each measure voted on at the election;" and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Riverside, based upon the facts set forth herein and in the staff report accompanying this resolution, which are incorporated herein by this reference, as follows:
Section 1: That every voter received a Vote by Mail ballot. There were thirteen Vote Centers and seven Vote by Mail ballot drop-off locations in the City of Riverside in addition to the Registrar of Voters Office.
Section 2: The General Municipal election was held for the purpose of electing three (3) members of the City Council of the City of Riverside from Wards 2, 4, and 6 and for presenting Measure Z to the voters.
Section 3: That the whole number of votes case in the City of Riverside was 59,551; that the whole number of votes cast in the Second Ward in the City of Riverside was 8,020; that the whole number of votes cast in the Fourth Ward in the City of Riverside was 13,074; and that the whole number of votes cast in the Sixth Ward in the City of Riverside was 5,283.
Section 4: That the names of the candidates voted for and the office which each person was voted for are as follows:
CITY COUNCIL, WARD 2:
GRACIE TORRES for Member of the City Council
ARAM AYRA for Member of the City Council
MIKE VAHL for Member of the City Council
CHRISTEN MONTERO for Member of the City Council
CITY COUNCIL, WARD 4:
CHUCK CONDER for Member of the City Council
RICH VANDENBERG for Member of the City Council
JESSICA QATTAWI for Member of the City Council
CITY COUNCIL, WARD 6:
LUIS HERNANDEZ for Member of the City Council
OZ PUERTA for Member of the City Council
NORMA BERRELLEZ for Member of the City Council
That the number of votes given at each precinct and the number of votes given in the City to each candidate listed above are listed on the attached Exhibit “A”.
Section 5: The City Council does declare and determine that in the Second Ward no candidate received a majority of the votes cast. That candidate Gracie Torres received the highest and candidate Aram Ayra the next highest number of votes cast for Member of the City Council, Ward 2. That pursuant to Section 400 of the Charter of the City of Riverside, the City Council shall call a Special Election to be held on November 3, 2026, at which time the names of these candidates shall appear on the ballot, to wit:
GRACIE TORRES for Member of City Council
ARAM AYRA for Member of City Council
and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes at said Special Election for the above-named office shall be elected Councilmember from Ward Two.
Section 6: The City Council does declare and determine that in the Fourth Ward no candidate received a majority of the votes cast. That candidate Chuck Conder received the highest and candidate Rich Vandenberg the next highest number of votes cast for Member of the City Council, Ward 4 . That pursuant to Section 400 of the Charter of the City of Riverside, the City Council shall call a Special Election to be held on November 3, 2026, at which time the names of these candidates shall appear on the ballot, to wit:
CHUCK CONDER for Member of City Council
RICH VANDENBERG for Member of City Council
and the candidate receiving the highest number of votes at said Special Election for the above-named office shall be elected Councilmember from Ward Four.
Section 7: That the City Council does declare and determine that Luis Hernandez was elected as a member of the City Council, Ward 6 to serve for the full term of four years.
Section 8: That the following measure was submitted to the qualified electors at said election:
Measure Z: City of Riverside Voter-Approved Transaction and Use Tax Measure. To fund general local city services such as 911, fire, police response; preparing for wildfires; recruiting/retaining well-trained firefighters/paramedics; preventing crime; keeping public areas safe/clean; addressing homelessness; repairing potholes/roads; shall a measure renewing the existing City of Riverside voter-approved transaction and use (sales) tax at an updated 1 1/4¢ rate, providing approximately $106,000,000 annually until ended by voters, subject to audits, spending disclosure, all funds controlled locally, be adopted? Section 9: That the whole number of votes cast Citywide was 59,551, and that the number of votes given in each precinct and the number of votes given in the City for and against the Measure is listed on the attached Exhibit “A”.
Section 10: That a majority of the qualified electors voting on Measure Z did not vote in favor thereof, and pursuant to the Constitution of the State of California and the laws of the State of California, Measure Z is declared to have not carried.
Section 11: That the City Clerk shall enter as part of the record a statement of voter results for the June 2, 2026, General Municipal Election showing:
The whole number of votes cast in the City;
The names of the persons voted for;
The office each person was voted for;
The measure voted upon;
The number of votes given at each precinct to each of said persons; The number of votes given in the City to each of said persons; The number of votes given at each precinct in favor and against the measure; The number of votes given in the City in favor and against the measure; ADOPTED by the City Council this ____ day of ________________, 2026. _________________________________
PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON Mayor of the City of Riverside Attest:
____________________________
DONESIA GAUSE
City Clerk of the City of Riverside
I, Donesia Gause, City Clerk of the City of Riverside, California, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the City Council of said City at its meeting held on the ___ day of _______________, 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Riverside, California, this ___ day ____________________, 2026. _____________________________
DONESIA GAUSE City Clerk of the City of Riverside Exhibit A
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City Attorney’s Office3750 university ave., ste. 250Riverside, CA 92501((951) 826-5567City Attorney’s Office3750 university ave., ste. 250Riverside, CA 92501((951) 826-5567 City Attorney’s Office
3750 university ave., ste. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
((951) 826-5567
City Attorney’s Office
3750 university ave., ste. 250
Riverside, CA 92501
((951) 826-5567
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