In an election that could impact the direction Santa Ana takes next, three moderate City Council incumbents face three progressive challengers while four candidates with different viewpoints vie for the mayor’s seat.

Who ultimately wins could not only alter the make-up on the dais but also affect government policies.

Incumbents Nelida Mendoza, Phil Bacerra, and David Penaloza — all first-time council members — ran on their records while their challengers, Benjamin Vazquez, Amalia Mejia, and Manny Escamilla in Wards 2, 4, and 6, respectively, offered voters the choice of a more progressive platform.

With Mayor Vicente Sarmiento stepping down to run for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, that also opened the mayoral seat. Four candidates are vying for the mayor’s job: Santa Ana Unified School Board Trustee Valerie Amezcua, former Councilman Sal Tinajero, former Assemblyman (and former councilman) Jose Solorio, and college student Jesse Nestor.

Valerie Amezcua, Jesse Nestor, Jose Solorio, and Sal Tinajero. (Photos courtesy of the candidates’ campaigns)

Amezcua ran on the same slate as the incumbents and Tinajero ran with the challengers.

Since 2020, when voters elected three younger, more liberal council members, there’s been a more progressive tilt on the City Council, which approved Orange County’s first rent control law this year, considered offering non-citizens the right to vote in local elections and is exploring how to provide more civilian oversight over its police department.

In this election, Santa Ana voters also are deciding a few ballot measures. Measure X proposes stricter lifetime term limits for council members and mayor, along with other changes to the city’s charter. Measure W would restructure the city’s business tax rate.

Check back for updated election results throughout the evening and potentially over the next few days as votes are counted.

To read more about Santa Ana’s election:

Santa Ana City Council election has potential to impact the make-up of the dais

Santa Ana’s Election 2022: Four candidates hope to become mayor

Santa Ana voters to decide on lifetime term limits for mayor, City Council

 Santa Ana voters asked to restructure city’s business tax

Should Santa Ana Unified School District members have term limits? That’s up to voters

Can noncitizens vote in Santa Ana? That won’t be decided in the 2022 election

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