Wells Leads Kraft in El Cajon Mayor Race
Preliminary Election Day results show the incumbent mayor ahead of his challenger, while a District 1 council contest also opens up.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Incumbent El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells led challenger Alexander Kraft in preliminary Election Day results. In District 1, Chuck Kaye led Patrick Grillot and Osama Bayati in the City Council race after longtime Councilmember Gary Kendrick chose not to seek re-election.
Why it matters
The results could reshape El Cajon's leadership, with the council seat opening after 24 years under Gary Kendrick. Kendrick cited health concerns for stepping away from the race.
Preliminary Election Day counts are the only results reported so far, with Kendrick's 24-year tenure ending as the District 1 seat opens. Vote totals, margins and certification timing were not included in the available data.
The players
Bill Wells
Bill Wells is the incumbent mayor of El Cajon, a healthcare professional and Republican who is 64 years old.
Alexander Kraft
Alexander Kraft is a socialist and labor organizer who is 42 years old and challenged Wells for the El Cajon mayor's office.
Gary Kendrick
Gary Kendrick is a longtime El Cajon councilmember who served 24 years and chose not to seek re-election citing health concerns.
Chuck Kaye
Chuck Kaye is a Republican and retired law enforcement officer, 63 years old, who led the District 1 council race in preliminary results.
Patrick Grillot
Patrick Grillot is a Democrat and healthcare program manager, 35 years old, who entered the District 1 council race after Gary Kendrick withdrew.
The details
Bill Wells, a healthcare professional and Republican seeking a second look at the mayor's office, led Alexander Kraft, a socialist and labor organizer, in early counts. In District 1, Chuck Kaye, a retired law enforcement officer, led Patrick Grillot, a healthcare program manager who entered the race after Kendrick withdrew, and Osama Bayati.
Timeline
- Nov. 3, 2026: Election Day, with preliminary results reported in El Cajon's mayoral and District 1 council races.
Political Context
The District 1 contest marks a turnover after Gary Kendrick's 24 years on the El Cajon City Council, a long tenure that ends with his decision not to seek re-election. The council seat's future direction will depend on which candidate prevails in the final count.
Residents in El Cajon will have a new mayor or council member depending on final certified counts. The outcome determines who represents District 1 and sets the city's leadership for the coming term.
The takeaway
Local races often turn on a handful of votes, so preliminary counts can shift before certification. Readers tracking El Cajon should wait for official results before drawing conclusions about the outcome.
Further reading
For more on how local races are decided, see Elections coverage in El Cajon.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Diego Union-Tribune.
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