Santee Voters Lean Against Measure Y Sales Tax

Early returns show Santee voters leaning toward rejecting a one-cent general sales tax while incumbent council members hold their seats.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain civic building facade with a flagpole above concrete blocks, set against a cream sky. — Santee voters were leaning toward rejecting Measure Y, a one-cent general sales tax meant to fund $327.7 million in unfunded infrastructure projects, early returns show. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your city raise sales taxes to fund unfunded infrastructure projects?

Santee voters led toward rejecting Measure Y, a one-cent general sales tax, according to results released Tuesday by the county Registrar of Voters. Incumbent Councilmembers Rob McNelis and Ronn Hall also led challengers in their City Council races.

Why it matters

Measure Y was proposed to address an estimated $327.7 million in unfunded infrastructure projects, so the outcome determines whether the city has a new revenue source for that backlog. The council races will shape how the city council handles that funding question going forward.

The county Registrar of Voters released results on Tuesday, with Measure Y, a one-cent general sales tax, leading toward rejection against an estimated $327.7 million in unfunded infrastructure projects. Final vote counts and certified margins were not provided in the available results.

The players

Rob McNelis

McNelis is a 54-year-old mortgage broker and Republican who has served on the Santee City Council since 2010.

Ronn Hall

Hall is a 69-year-old Republican who has sat on the Santee City Council since 2014 and was the lone member to oppose the sales tax.

Matthew Rascon

Rascon is a 36-year-old Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for the 48th Congressional seat in 2024.

Eddie Vandiver

Vandiver is a Republican who sits on the board of directors of the Santee Chamber of Commerce.

The details

Incumbent Councilmember Rob McNelis led challenger Matthew Rascon in District 1, while incumbent Councilmember Ronn Hall led challenger Eddie Vandiver in District 2. Hall was the sole council member to oppose the one-cent sales tax.

2010: McNelis begins serving on the Santee City Council.
2014: Hall is first elected to the Santee City Council.
2024: Rascon unsuccessfully runs for the 48th Congressional seat.
Tuesday: County Registrar of Voters releases election results.

Political Context

Measure Y follows the pattern of cities asking voters to approve general sales taxes to fund infrastructure backlogs, a path that requires majority voter approval under California law. The defeat of such measures would leave the infrastructure funding gap unresolved without new revenue.

If Measure Y is confirmed defeated, Santee will not gain a one-cent general sales tax to fund its infrastructure backlog, which may affect local road and facility projects. Residents should watch for council discussions on alternative funding once certified results are available.

The takeaway

Local ballot measures can shape infrastructure funding for years, so tracking council decisions after an election helps residents understand what comes next. Certified results will confirm the final outcome of Measure Y and the council races.