We don’t have to tell you that it’s a critical time in Encinitas (and everywhere).

Ballots for the November 3, 2026 election are landing now. The races at the bottom of your ballot shape your streets, housing, and kids’ schools more than anything at the top.

On City Council, the mayor, District 3, and District 4 together comprise 3 of 5 council seats, a majority. Also, both EUSD and SDUHSD have 3 seats up. Whoever wins determines how our local government operates for at least the next two years.

How we chose: In August, we sent every mayor and council candidate the same nine questions, with the same word limit and a promise to publish answers word-for-word. Three answered. Three didn’t. We also tracked every council vote for two years, read campaign materials, attended the forums, and talked with candidates directly. Our picks are based on those factual records.

(By the way, we’re not a PAC. Encinitas Action hasn’t given money to any PAC or candidate. Like you, we’re a group of interested local voters who care deeply about our city. )

Here are our recommended candidates:

ENCINITAS MAYOR:
Rimga Viskanta

Why Rimga Viskanta?

• Vision: Her vision is future-focused: She’ll shape an Encinitas we want our kids to inherit, instead of refighting old battles.
• Leadership: Gets results. As an SDUHSD trustee, Rimga helped deliver the district’s first swimming pool, hired and kept a strong superintendent, and brought calm to a divided board. She was an EUSD trustee before that.
• Real Local Control: Will plan for the traffic and infrastructure that new housing brings; will protect mobile home residents from runaway rent hikes; and will partner with nonprofit builders to keep homes affordable for the next generation.
• Safe Streets: She’ll prioritize improvements on the 16% of roadways where nearly all of the serious injuries and deaths happen. 
• Homelessness: Will focus on prevention first, bringing in grants to pay for services, and enforcing the law consistently to keep public spaces safe.
• Climate resilience: She’ll prepare Encinitas for rising seas and wildfire risk with coastal adaptation, fire-wise neighborhoods, and resilient infrastructure.

Why not Bruce Ehlers?

• No Compelling Vision: His vision for the city is “Back to the Future,” focusing on returning it to the past and blaming past mayors and councils for city problems.
• Lacks Leadership: Poor control of council meetings. Allows councilmembers to berate members of the public, staff and fellow councilmembers who oppose his majority.
• Hollow Local Control: Promised local control and to fight overdevelopment – failed on both counts. In fact, his council majority approved every development brought to a vote, and the city has lost a costly lawsuit over Clark Avenue Apartments. Plus, he’s made zero progress on affordable housing.
• Safe Streets for Cars: Children continue to be killed on Encinitas streets. He took way too long to respond to the advocacy of parents, teachers, kids. Values car mobility over all other modes and boasts of repaving roads, a given for any city. Leading the effort to rip up safety measures on the Santa Fe Drive improvement project (costing Encinitas taxpayers another $3m+).
• Maligns Homelessness: Prioritizes enforcement and removal to other cities over services. Incorrectly cites the large majority of homeless to be addicts or mentally ill, not neighbors in need. His harsh approach led to his council majority ending the safe parking program and rejecting a $3.9m state homelessness grant.

COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 (Cardiff):
Arielle Golden

Why Arielle Golden?

• Arielle offers a forward-looking, young-family perspective. She has a proven track record of aligning people with different opinions (something we need desperately in Encinitas!).
• Arielle endorses a realistic plan for street safety using red light cameras (not Flock), pedestrian bulb-outs, safer crosswalks, and regular e-bike education. She believes future housing development should focus on affordable rather than luxury housing for locals and the workforce servicing our community. Will proactively consider the effect of growth on infrastructure in planning. Advocates for a healthy, resilient environment in the face of climate change, including passing the city’s Climate Action Plan. Will fix the city’s broken permitting process for homeowners and businesses. 

Why not Ed Sprague?

• Offers nothing new and has no real plans on key city issues. Believes young people should earn their right to live here when they can afford it. More “fight the state” on housing rhetoric – the same futile approach involving expensive lawsuits that still ends with every project approved. Narrow take on homelessness as addicts and mentally ill, the same view behind ending the safe parking program and declining to apply for state money. Spoke in favor of council majority’s vote to “Remove don’t Improve” Santa Fe drive, wasting taxpayer money and compromising safety. Backed by the same network as the current council majority including Reform California, Carl DeMaio’s group – a strong signal of how he’d vote.

COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (Olivenhain, New Encinitas):
Brad Lefkowits

Why Brad Lefkowits?

• He’s focused on the future of Encinitas. Able to collaborate with everyone regardless of their politics (again something we desperately need in Encinitas!).
• Brad knows our city’s issues in depth and is prepared for important policymaking. Treats traffic deaths as public safety failures and wants data-driven fixes, Safe Routes to School, and more crossing guards. Offers innovative housing plans, not slogans, including leveraging AB 787 to convert existing units to affordable ones, with no new construction. Runs a landscape design firm and serves on the Urban Forest Advisory Commission, with a focus on fire-risk vegetation management. Supports local businesses, especially El Camino Real corridor, and will push for streamlined permitting.

Why not Marco San Antonio?

• Appointed to the council by Mayor Ehlers, not elected by Encinitas voters. He offers no new ideas or plans. Votes in lockstep with the Ehlers/O’Hara/Shaffer council majority, including on Santa Fe Drive redesign, safe parking lot termination, and $3.9m homeless grant rejection. Admitted to being “in over his skis” on housing issues during a recent forum. Has claimed to be “independent” but is a self-professed MAGA Republican and endorsed by Reform California.

ENCINITAS UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT 

Six candidates for three at-large seats. We recommend:
Jillian Cocayne (on right), Chris Hargrave (middle), Bill Shen (on left)

Why Jillian Cocayne / Chris Hargrave / Bill Shen?

• Jillian is a EUSD parent. Has regularly attended school board meetings for years. Rep on the Special Education Parent Council and the district’s local planning area. Endorsed by Encinitas teachers.
• Chris has 50+ years as a teacher and principal. Raised test scores. Her grandkids attend EUSD schools. Endorsed by Encinitas teachers.
• Bill is the father of three EUSD students. Chaired the successful Measure Z bond campaign in 2024. PTA board and School Site Council member. Endorsed by Encinitas teachers.

SAN DIEGUITO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
(You vote only in your own trustee area, so check your ballot.)

Area 1 Trustee: Amy Flicker (on left)

Why Amy Flicker?

• Mom of 2 SDUHSD grads, one with special needs. Past PTA president in both EUSD and SDUHSD. Former commissioner on two city commissions. Now VP of Legislation for California State PTA’s Ninth District. Endorsed by the San Dieguito Faculty Association.

Area 3 Trustee: Helen Doyle (on right)

Why Helen Doyle?

• Director on the Del Mar Union schools foundation. Mechanical engineer who designed medical devices. CASA foster-youth advocate who adopted two foster children. Endorsed by the San Dieguito Faculty Association.

TAKE ACTION – VOTE! ✅

The most important thing you can do in this election is to VOTE intelligently! Below are some resources and important dates.

• Oct. 6: Ballot drop boxes open. Drop it off rather than mail it.
• Oct. 10: 10 a.m.–noon, League of Women Voters explains the ballot measures at the Encinitas Community Center.
• Oct. 19: Last day to register online.
• Oct. 24: Vote centers open.
• Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
• Research: Review the League of Women Voters Recommendations on state ballot measures: https://lwvc.org/ballot-recommendations/

We hope you find these recommendations helpful. Let’s elect leaders who will help us build the future we want for Encinitas!