Election 2026: La Quinta voters decide mayor’s race and two City Council seats
LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – La Quinta voters are deciding who will lead their city, with the mayor’s office and two City Council seats on the ballot.
News Channel 3 is following both races and will update this article with results and candidate reactions after polls close at 8 p.m.
EARLY RESULTS SHOWEarly results show Mayor Linda Evans leading with 76.34% of the vote, followed by Lynne Langdon with 14.72% and Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez with 8.94%.
In the race for two City Council seats, incumbents John Peña and Deborah McGarrey lead with 40.56% and 37.85%, respectively. Carene Hensley has 10.97%, followed by Julian Herrera with 10.62%.
These results reflect Riverside County’s 9 p.m. Tuesday update and remain preliminary as ballots continue to be counted.
Mayor’s race
Mayor Linda Evans is seeking a seventh term. She faces challengers Lynne Langdon and Suzanne Espinoza-Jimenez.
Evans is running on her record, emphasizing city finances, public safety, housing and continued work on major city projects.
Langdon is calling for closer scrutiny of spending and development agreements, including the city’s handling of the SilverRock resort project.
Espinoza-Jimenez has said the city should put more focus on residents’ needs over tourism.
City Council race
Four candidates are competing for two seats:
John Peña — incumbent Deborah McGarrey — incumbent Carene Hensley Julian HerreraPeña and McGarrey are seeking to continue their work on the council, highlighting public safety, financial management and city improvements.
Hensley is calling for more resident input, transparency and term limits. Herrera is emphasizing opportunities for young people, including connecting students with local jobs.
The two candidates receiving the most votes will win the council seats.
What we’re watching
The results will show whether voters keep the current leadership or choose challengers calling for changes in city priorities.
Those elected will help make decisions about public safety, housing, development, roads, parks and taxpayer spending.
Check back for updated vote totals and reactions throughout the night. Election-night results are preliminary and may change as additional ballots are counted.
News Channel 3 will continue monitoring the La Quinta races throughout election night, bringing viewers the latest results, candidate reactions and developments on air and online at KESQ.com.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as election results become available.
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