Palm Desert Voters Pick Council for Districts 4, 5

Voters in Palm Desert are choosing two City Council members as the city shifts to a five-district election system.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections

Palm Desert Voters Pick Council for Districts 4, 5

Live Poll

Do you trust your city council to manage local development and spending well?

Palm Desert voters decided two City Council seats in Districts 4 and 5 on November 3, 2026, with four candidates competing for the pair of seats. The election completes the city's transition to a five-district council system.

Why it matters

Winners will serve four-year terms and help shape decisions on development, city spending, and infrastructure in Palm Desert. Voters now choose a representative from their own geographic district under the new system.

Two seats are contested among four candidates, with each winner serving a four-year term. Unofficial results begin appearing after polls close at 8 p.m. on November 3, 2026, and final outcomes remain unknown until counted.

The players

Evan Trubee

Evan Trubee is a longtime Palm Desert resident, local business owner, and the current mayor seeking re-election to the City Council in District 4.

Jonathon Polly

Jonathon Polly is a technical manager and sustainability auditor challenging incumbent Evan Trubee for the District 4 council seat.

John Greenwood

John Greenwood is an architect and longtime member of the Palm Desert Planning Commission running for the District 5 council seat.

Ralph Perry

Ralph Perry is a retired health care administrator and former country club manager who currently serves on the city's parks and recreation committee and is running for the District 5 seat.

The details

Incumbent Evan Trubee, who is also mayor, faces Jonathon Polly in District 4. In District 5, John Greenwood and Ralph Perry are competing for the newly created seat, and News Channel 3 will track vote totals and gather candidate reactions as results come in.

November 3, 2026: Election Day, when voters decide the two City Council seats.
8 p.m., November 3, 2026: Polls close and unofficial results begin becoming available.

Political Context

This election completes Palm Desert's shift to a five-district council, a change that ties each seat to a specific geographic area rather than citywide voting. Opposition and counter-arguments to the new system were not addressed in the available extraction.

Palm Desert residents in Districts 4 and 5 will have a council representative chosen by voters in their own district for the next four years. Decisions on development, city spending, and infrastructure will be shaped by the winners of these seats.

The takeaway

Because each district now elects its own representative, residents have a more direct line to the council member responsible for their neighborhood. Checking candidate positions on local development and spending can help voters make an informed choice.