No Surprises in Local City Council Elections As Incumbents Sweep

The incumbents retained their City Council seats on Tuesday.

Election results as of 9:33 p.m. showed overwhelming victories from City Council incumbents as Justin Jones, Jess Rivas and Jason Lyon were elected by voters to additional four-year terms. 

In the 3rd District, Jones led with 78.69 percent of the vote, or 1,289 ballots, while Erica Margarita Muñoz received 21.31 percent, or 349 votes.

In the 5th District, Rivas ran unopposed and captured 100 percent of the vote with 1,385 ballots.

In the 7th District, Lyon secured 84 percent of the vote, or 2,531 ballots, while Alethea O’Toole received 16 percent.

On the ballot, Jones and Lyon faced Erica Margarita Muñoz and Alethea O’Toole, respectively. 

Neither candidate launched a major campaign in the respective races, and according to at least one media report, O’Toole backed out sometime after the ballot deadline, which is why her name remained on the ballot.

Meanwhile, the incumbents continued to engage the voters with door-to-door canvassing and local campaign events.

Jones, Lyon, and Rivas will remain at the dais as the City Council continues to navigate difficult situations, including the presence of immigration agents in Pasadena.

A presidential administration that continues to without funds from cities that don’t comply with its agenda.

The administration continues to target funding for programs related to climate change, LGBTQ+ initiatives, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and “sanctuary” jurisdictions.

Locally, the City Council continues its search for a new City Manager, and the redevelopment of the 710 stub will continue to return to the City Council.

Meanwhile, affordable housing and homelessness continue to remain top issues around the dais.

Councilmembers are also evaluating long-term investments in emergency response capabilities, disaster resilience, and community recovery programs to better prepare the City for future catastrophic events.

At the same time, city leaders are grappling with significant Fire Department needs, including aging fire stations, increasing emergency call volumes, and growing demands related to wildfire response and emergency medical services. Discussions have included more than $200 million in potential fire infrastructure investments. Combined with an estimated $125 million in unfunded street and sidewalk repair needs, the City faces difficult decisions about how to address deteriorating infrastructure while maintaining essential public services. Officials are also exploring possible new revenue sources to fund both fire protection and long-overdue street and facility improvements.