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City of Commerce · Statewide General Election

Commerce City Council

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 would hold one of three at-large seats up this cycle on Commerce's 5-member City Council, elected to staggered 4-year terms: city ordinances, the budget, and land use. 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 -- and day-to-day operations run through an appointed city manager. Councilmembers are capped at three full terms under a limit Commerce voters adopted in 2011.

Six candidates are running for three at-large seats on Commerce's City Council: incumbents Kevin Lainez and Mireya Garcia, former Councilmember and Mayor Leonard Mendoza, and challengers Vanessa Haro, Nick Padilla and Jaime Valencia. A third incumbent, Ivan Altamirano, was barred from the Nov. 3 ballot in an Aug. 27, 2026 court ruling. Vote for up to three -- no primary.

Council seats carry 4-year terms, staggered so three or two of the five seats are up each cycle -- this year it's three. Winners join two sitting councilmembers not up this cycle, Hugo Argumedo and Oralia Rebollo, to make five votes on city ordinances, the budget, and land use. The council then selects one of its own to serve as Mayor and another as Mayor Pro Tem -- titles that rotate rather than being separately elected -- and day-to-day operations run through an appointed city manager. Members are capped at three full terms under a limit Commerce voters adopted in 2011 by more than 72%.

That cap is why this race has six names instead of seven. Councilmember Ivan Altamirano -- appointed in 2012 and elected in 2013, 2017 and 2022 -- filed to run again, and the city clerk initially listed him as qualified. Former Mayor Lilia Leon sued, arguing a 2022 measure that extended council terms to match the state's consolidated election calendar didn't reset the three-term limit. On Aug. 27, 2026, LA County Superior Court Judge Joseph Lipner agreed, calling Altamirano's contrary reading "unpersuasive," and ordered the city clerk and county registrar not to place him on the ballot. Argumedo and Rebollo aren't up for re-election until 2028, when the same limit will eventually reach them too.

Kevin Lainez

Kevin Lainez is the incumbent Mayor, seeking another 4-year council term. He was first elected in June 2022 and moved to Commerce in 2012; before joining the council he chaired the Planning Commission and served as Vice-Chairperson of the Traffic Commission.

Strengths

A full council term already served, plus prior experience chairing the Planning Commission and vice-chairing the Traffic Commission, and current seats on four regional boards.

Trade-offs

His own city bio describes his priorities in general terms; no independent source details specific votes, ordinances, or initiatives from his current term as Mayor.

Keep in mind

He was first elected in June 2022 alongside Mireya Garcia and Ivan Altamirano, the three seats up again in 2026 -- Altamirano is barred from this ballot, but Lainez and Garcia are both seeking new terms.

Mireya Garcia

Mireya Garcia is the incumbent Mayor Pro Tem, seeking another 4-year council term. She was first elected in June 2022 alongside Kevin Lainez and Ivan Altamirano; the city's own council page lists no biography beyond her name and title.

Strengths

A full council term already served as a sitting councilmember, currently holding the Mayor Pro Tem title; endorsed for re-election by sitting Councilmember Oralia Rebollo.

Trade-offs

The city's own Mayor & City Council page carries no biography for her -- unlike Lainez's page -- so this pass could not confirm her occupation, education, or record beyond her council seat.

Keep in mind

Her 2022 campaign committee has been renewed for 2026 under the same filer ID with the state, active but with no 2025-2026 campaign-finance report filed as of this retrieval.

Vanessa Haro

Vanessa Haro is a challenger running for a council seat. She works as a plant manager for Corning and was honored with a Community Service Award by the Commerce Business Council in June 2026; no independent source describes her platform in detail.

Strengths

A Community Service Award from the city's own business council, presented at its June 2026 luncheon; endorsed for the seat by sitting Councilmember Oralia Rebollo alongside incumbent Kevin Lainez.

Trade-offs

No campaign website, published platform, or independent news coverage of her candidacy was found beyond the award and endorsement; her priorities for the council could not be confirmed.

Keep in mind

She works as a plant manager for Corning; her 2026 campaign committee is active with the state but has not filed a 2025-2026 campaign-finance report as of this retrieval.

Leonard Mendoza

Leonard Mendoza is a former Commerce Councilmember and Mayor, running again after losing his bid for re-election in November 2024. His time on the council included a widely reported physical altercation with a fellow official in 2019 and his removal from the Mayor's seat in 2022.

Strengths

Prior experience on the council, including time as Mayor -- more institutional government experience than anyone in this field besides the two incumbents.

Trade-offs

Lost his November 2024 re-election bid; a 2019 brawl at a conference event left him knocked unconscious, reported by KTLA, CBS News and ABC7; the council removed him as Mayor in 2022.

Keep in mind

No campaign committee for a 2026 run appears active with the state as of this retrieval -- his prior council committee (2017) and a 2022 water-district run are both listed terminated.

Nick Padilla

Nick Padilla is a challenger running for a council seat. No campaign website, published platform, or independent news coverage of his candidacy was found beyond his name in the certified candidate list and in Southern California News Group's reporting on the term-limit dispute.

Strengths

No independent source or campaign material was found describing strengths beyond his qualification for the ballot.

Trade-offs

No campaign statement, website, or news coverage was found for his council bid; there is no independent record to weigh trade-offs against.

Keep in mind

His 2026 campaign committee is active with the state but has not filed a 2025-2026 campaign-finance report as of this retrieval; no other biographical detail was found.

Jaime Valencia

Jaime Valencia is a lifelong Commerce resident running on a platform of public safety, family and senior services, and government accountability. State campaign-finance records show he has run for this same council seat at least four times before, in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2020, without winning.

Strengths

Decades of local civic involvement: former Planning and Education Commissioner, past President of the Commerce Evening Lions Club, and 30 years as an accountant before retraining as a technician.

Trade-offs

State records show he has run for this same seat at least four times since 2011 without being elected -- a fact his own 2026 campaign site does not mention.

Keep in mind

Says he is self-funding his campaign and has taken no special-interest money; his committee has been active with the state continuously since 2011, renamed each election cycle.

Source review: Very strong (91/100) · 17 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with several source types checked for context; advocacy or endorsement sources are treated as attributed perspective.

Review note: Jaime Valencia may have more bias because it is an advocacy voter guide compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.

  • commerceca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Commerce — City Clerk's Office, Election Information page for the November 3, 2026 election: nomination period (July 13 - Aug. 7, 2026) and links to the certified candidate list, random alphabet drawing, election notice, and the resolutions calling and consolidating the election
  • commerceca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Commerce — "List of qualified Candidates for the City of Commerce, November 3, 2026, Election of three members to the City Council for a full term of 4 years": names all six qualified candidates (Kevin Lainez, Mireya Garcia, Vanessa Haro, Leonard Mendoza, Jaime Valencia, Nick Padilla) with nomination-paper issue/submit dates and contact info; Ivan Altamirano does not appear, consistent with the Aug. 27, 2026 court order barring his candidacy
  • commerceca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Commerce — Mayor & City Council page: the 5-member roster with term-expiration dates, confirming three seats (Kevin Lainez, Mireya Garcia, and the seat formerly held by Ivan Altamirano) expire November 2026 and two (Hugo Argumedo, Oralia Rebollo) not until November 2028
  • commerceca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Commerce — Mayor Kevin Lainez's own official biography page: elected June 2022, moved to Commerce in 2012, former Planning Commission Chairperson and Traffic Commission Vice-Chairperson, current seats on the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, Gateway Cities Affordable Housing Trust, Greater LA County Vector Control District and Southeast Water Coalition boards
  • yahoo.com (opens in a new tab)Los Angeles Times (republished in full by Yahoo News, since the Times's own site paywalls it) — "A City of Commerce council member wanted to run for an illegal fourth term. A judge just shot it down": Judge Joseph Lipner's Aug. 27, 2026 ruling against Ivan Altamirano, former Mayor Lilia Leon's Aug. 10, 2026 lawsuit, the 2011 (72%+) and 2022 term-limit measures, and Altamirano's 2016 FPPC ethics fine
  • dailynews.com (opens in a new tab)Los Angeles Daily News (Southern California News Group) — "Commerce councilmember barred from running again, judge rules": independently names the full six-candidate field for the three open seats (incumbents Kevin Lainez and Mireya Garcia, former Councilmember Leonard Mendoza, Vanessa Haro, Nick Padilla and Jaime Valencia) and reports City Clerk Eduardo Sarmiento and LA County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan by name
  • sgvtribune.com (opens in a new tab)San Gabriel Valley Tribune (Southern California News Group) — "Commerce councilmember barred from running again, judge rules": independently corroborates Judge Lipner's ruling and the 2011 three-term limit (same Pasadena Star News byline as the Daily News piece, different outlet)
  • electionlawblog.org (opens in a new tab)Election Law Blog (Rick Hasen, UCLA School of Law) — "California: 'A City of Commerce council member wants to run for a fourth term. A former mayor objects. The dispute heads to court'": independent legal analysis of the term-definition dispute, quoting Hasen's own assessment that Altamirano's reading of the law, while not frivolous, is likely wrong
  • jaime-valencia.com (opens in a new tab)Jaime Valencia — own 2026 campaign site: lifelong Commerce resident, former Planning Commissioner and Education Commissioner, past President of the Commerce Evening Lions Club, 30 years as an accountant before becoming an advanced-certified automotive technician; platform of public safety, families/seniors, responsible development, taxpayer protection and Veterans Park redevelopment; says he is self-funding and has taken no special-interest money
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — "LAINEZ FOR CITY COUNCIL 2022; KEVIN" (Filer #1446189), status ACTIVE; no Form 460/461/450 electronically filed for the 2025-2026 cycle as of this retrieval
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — "GARCIA FOR COMMERCE CITY COUNCIL 2026; FRIENDS OF MIREYA" (Filer #1446919, renamed from her 2022 committee), status ACTIVE; no Form 460/461/450 electronically filed for the 2025-2026 cycle as of this retrieval
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — "HARO FOR COMMERCE CITY COUNCIL 2026" (Filer #1494718), status ACTIVE; no Form 460/461/450 electronically filed for the 2025-2026 cycle as of this retrieval
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — "PADILLA FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER 2026; NICK" (Filer #1492245), status ACTIVE; no Form 460/461/450 electronically filed for the 2025-2026 cycle as of this retrieval
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — "VALENCIA FOR COMMERCE CITY COUNCIL 2020, JAIME" (Filer #1311155), status ACTIVE, with historical committee names showing runs for the same seat in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2020 (same filer phone number, (562) 761-9745, as his 2026 candidate filing); no Form 460/461/450 electronically filed for the 2025-2026 cycle as of this retrieval
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS — filer search for "Leonard Mendoza": no active 2026 committee; his 2017 Commerce City Council committee and a 2022 Central Basin Water District committee are both listed TERMINATED
  • ballotpedia.org (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia — Leonard Mendoza (Commerce City Council At-large, California, candidate 2024): ran for one of two open seats in the November 5, 2024 general election against incumbents Hugo Argumedo and Oralia Rebollo and challenger Michael W. Pryor; Argumedo and Rebollo won, confirming Mendoza lost that bid
  • ktla.com (opens in a new tab)KTLA — "Violent Brawl Involving Commerce City Leaders Leaves Councilman Bloodied" (May 20, 2019): reports Councilman Leonard Mendoza was knocked unconscious in a physical altercation with a fellow Commerce official at a California Contract Cities Association event; the same incident was independently reported by CBS News, ABC7 Los Angeles and FOX40

Last updated August 31, 2026.