Salinas Voters Choose Next Mayor on Nov. 3
Four candidates, including incumbent Dennis Donohue, are on the ballot for Salinas mayor in the Nov. 3 election.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in City Hall
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Do you trust Salinas city leaders to be transparent and follow proper procedures?
Salinas voters will decide who serves as the city's next mayor on Nov. 3. Four candidates are on the ballot, including incumbent Dennis Donohue, who was elected in 2024 after previously serving from 2006 to 2012.
Why it matters
The election determines who leads Salinas at a time when candidates are raising concerns about city transparency and a backlog of deferred maintenance. Candidate Daniel Muñoz is also running on rising housing costs for renters.
Voters have four candidates to choose from, and polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. The Monterey County Registrar of Voters will release results as reports are issued, with the top three vote getters shown if the race has multiple candidates.
The players
Dennis Donohue
Donohue is the incumbent mayor of Salinas who previously held the office from 2006 to 2012 before being elected again in 2024.
Monterey County Registrar of Voters
The county office responsible for administering elections in Monterey County, including releasing results as they are reported.
The details
Dennis Donohue is seeking reelection as incumbent mayor, while Peter Szalai, a retired educator and former union leader, says the city lacks transparency and inconsistently follows procedures. Daniel Muñoz, known in music circles as Cal Paradox, is running after facing rising rents and being forced to move when his landlord renovated his property. Hezekiah Gonzalez is also a candidate.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Salinas mayoral election, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2024: Dennis Donohue elected mayor.
2006 to 2012: Dennis Donohue's earlier term as mayor.
Political Context
The mayoral race surfaces housing policy questions under the city's Just Cause Eviction and Tenant Protection Ordinance, which may provide relocation assistance to qualifying displaced tenants. Candidates are debating how the city handles tenant displacement and municipal governance.
Salinas residents can find their polling place by entering their address at sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place. Voters must cast ballots in person between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 to participate in choosing the next mayor.
The takeaway
The mayoral race gives Salinas voters a direct choice on transparency, maintenance and housing costs. Checking your polling place before Nov. 3 helps ensure your vote is counted.
What happens next
Results will be released by the Monterey County Registrar of Voters as reports are issued after polls close on Nov. 3.
Further reading
Follow local decisions made at City Hall as the new mayor takes office in Salinas.
More information
Find your polling place using the California polling place lookup by address on the Secretary of State's site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Salinas Californian.
Live Poll
Do you trust Salinas city leaders to be transparent and follow proper procedures?
