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City of Cathedral City · Statewide General Election

Cathedral City Council, District 3

Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.

This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.

On the ballot

This person holds your district's seat on Cathedral City's 5-member City Council: city ordinances, the budget, and land use. A 4-year term. The council selects one of its own members to serve as Mayor and another as Mayor Pro Tem -- the titles rotate rather than being separately elected.

Appointed incumbent Christina Gordon, chosen by the City Council in January 2026 to fill a vacancy left by a councilmember's death, seeks a full term against Cathedral City police Sgt. Alberto Ruiz for the District 3 seat.

This person holds your district's seat on Cathedral City's 5-member City Council: city ordinances, the budget, and land use. A 4-year term. The council selects one of its own members to serve as Mayor and another as Mayor Pro Tem — the titles rotate rather than being separately elected.

Gordon is running to keep the seat she was appointed to after Councilmember Mark Carnevale's death in office; Ruiz, a sworn Cathedral City police officer, is making his first bid for elected office. Neither candidate's detailed platform was independently reported beyond occupation and background in the time researched for this profile.

Christina Gordon

Christina Gordon was appointed to the District 3 council seat on Jan. 7, 2026, chosen by the sitting City Council from a field of 11 applicants interviewed at a special meeting, to serve out the term of Councilmember Mark Carnevale, who died in office on Nov. 16, 2025. She brings more than 20 years of experience as a nonprofit executive and serves on the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City.

Strengths

Already seated and current on council business, with two decades of nonprofit-executive leadership experience.

Trade-offs

She has held elected office only since her January 2026 appointment and has not yet faced Cathedral City voters directly.

Keep in mind

She was selected by a council vote, not an election — this November is the first time she appears on a ballot for this seat.

Alberto Ruiz

Alberto Ruiz is a sergeant with the Cathedral City Police Department, making his first run for elected office. No independent biography, platform statement, or campaign site was found for Ruiz beyond his occupation as reported by the Desert Sun, in the time available for this profile.

Strengths

Direct, current experience with the city's public-safety operations, a frequent priority in local elections.

Trade-offs

No prior elected or appointed public service, and no independently reported platform beyond his occupation.

Keep in mind

As a sitting police sergeant seeking a council seat that sets police-department policy and budget, voters may want to weigh that overlap if he's elected.

Source review: Very strong (91/100) · 4 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.

  • voteinfo.net (opens in a new tab)Riverside County Registrar of Voters — 2026 Annual Election Calendar (lists every November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election office by city, including "City of Cathedral City: City Council District 3 / District 4 / District 5 / City Treasurer")
  • desertsun.com (opens in a new tab)The Desert Sun — "See who's running for mayor and city council in Coachella Valley" (Tom Coulter and Sam Morgen, Aug. 13, 2026; names every qualified candidate in each Cathedral City council/treasurer race with a one-line occupation/background note)
  • web.archive.org (opens in a new tab)City of Cathedral City — Mayor & Council (official roster: Mayor Raymond Gregory/District 5, Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez/District 4, Councilmembers Lamb/District 1, Ross/District 2, Gordon/District 3, plus City Treasurer Greg Jackson)
  • web.archive.org (opens in a new tab)City of Cathedral City — Councilmember Gordon (official bio: District 3, term 2022-2026, appointed Jan. 7, 2026 to fill the seat left vacant by Councilmember Mark Carnevale's Nov. 16, 2025 death; nonprofit-executive background)

Last updated August 31, 2026.