# Commerce City Council Compare records and positions simply between Vanessa Haro, Nick Padilla, Kevin Lainez, and 3 more for Commerce City Council at VoteOrElse.com. On the November 3, 2026 California general election ballot. This person would hold one of three at-large seats up this cycle. It is on Commerce's five-member City Council. Terms are staggered and last four years. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. The council picks one of its own members to serve as Mayor. It picks another as Mayor Pro Tem. These titles rotate rather than being separately elected. An appointed city manager runs daily operations. Councilmembers are capped at three full terms. Commerce voters adopted that limit in 2011. - Jurisdiction: City of Commerce - Election: November 3, 2026 California general election - Seats: 3 - Publisher: Vote or Else (https://voteorelse.com) — a free, nonpartisan ballot guide for California voters. No endorsements. - Canonical page: https://voteorelse.com/2026/commerce-council - Full ballot: this page covers one race. Every contest on a voter's own ballot, by address, with the same breakdown for each: https://voteorelse.com/ - Sources last retrieved: August 31, 2026 - Source-objectivity score: 91 out of 100 (Very strong), across 17 cited sources. This grades the mix of sources, not the candidates. Rubric: https://voteorelse.com/about#methodology ## On the ballot - **Vanessa Haro** - **Nick Padilla** - **Kevin Lainez** — Incumbent - **Mireya Garcia** — Incumbent - **Jaime Valencia** - **Leonard Mendoza** A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot. 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. They were first elected in June 2022 and moved to Commerce in 2012; before joining the council they 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:** Their own city bio describes their priorities in general terms; no independent source details specific votes, ordinances, or initiatives from their current term as Mayor. **Keep in mind:** Lainez 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. Garcia was first elected in June 2022 alongside Kevin Lainez and Ivan Altamirano; the city's own council page lists no biography beyond their 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 them -- unlike Lainez's page -- so this pass could not confirm their occupation, education, or record beyond their council seat. **Keep in mind:** Their 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. They work as a plant manager for Corning and were honored with a Community Service Award by the Commerce Business Council in June 2026; no independent source describes their 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 their candidacy was found beyond the award and endorsement; their priorities for the council could not be confirmed. **Keep in mind:** Haro works as a plant manager for Corning; their 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 their bid for re-election in November 2024. Their time on the council included a widely reported physical altercation with a fellow official in 2019 and their 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 their November 2024 re-election bid; a 2019 brawl at a conference event left them knocked unconscious, reported by KTLA, CBS News and ABC7; the council removed them as Mayor in 2022. **Keep in mind:** No campaign committee for a 2026 run appears active with the state as of this retrieval -- their 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 their candidacy was found beyond their 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 their qualification for the ballot. **Trade-offs:** No campaign statement, website, or news coverage was found for their council bid; there is no independent record to weigh trade-offs against. **Keep in mind:** Their 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 they have 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 Valencia has run for this same seat at least four times since 2011 without being elected -- a fact their own 2026 campaign site does not mention. **Keep in mind:** Says they are self-funding their campaign and has taken no special-interest money; their committee has been active with the state continuously since 2011, renamed each election cycle. ## Review notes - Jaime Valencia may have more bias because it is an advocacy voter guide compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources. ## Sources 1. [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](https://www.commerceca.gov/city-hall/administration-city-manager/city-clerk/election-information) 2. [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](https://www.commerceca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/5531/639234503560822316) 3. [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](https://www.commerceca.gov/city-hall/mayor-city-council) 4. [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](https://www.commerceca.gov/city-hall/mayor-city-council/mayor-kevin-lainez) 5. [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](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/city-commerce-council-member-wants-130000949.html) 6. [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](https://www.dailynews.com/2026/08/28/commerce-councilmember-barred-from-running-again-judge-rules/) 7. [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)](https://www.sgvtribune.com/2026/08/28/commerce-councilmember-barred-from-running-again-judge-rules/) 8. [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](https://electionlawblog.org/2026/california-a-city-of-commerce-council-member-wants-to-run-for-a-fourth-term-a-former-mayor-objects-the-dispute-heads-to-court/) 9. [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](https://jaime-valencia.com) 10. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1446189&session=2025) 11. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1446919&session=2025) 12. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1494718&session=2025) 13. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1492245&session=2025) 14. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1311155&session=2025) 15. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Misc/filerSearch.aspx?SEARCH=Leonard%20Mendoza) 16. [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](https://ballotpedia.org/Leonard_Mendoza_(Commerce_City_Council_At-large,_California,_candidate_2024)) 17. [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](https://ktla.com/news/local-news/violent-brawl-at-commerce-city-council-meeting-leaves-official-knocked-unconscious/) ## The rest of the ballot Commerce City Council is one contest among the many a California voter decides on November 3, 2026 — Congress, the Legislature, county, city, and school board races differ by address. Vote or Else builds the full list for any California address and breaks down each contest the way this page does, with no account and without storing the address: https://voteorelse.com/ ## How to cite this page Vote or Else, "Commerce City Council — November 3, 2026 California general election," https://voteorelse.com/2026/commerce-council (sources last retrieved August 31, 2026). Link the canonical page above rather than this Markdown file. Coverage is updated as the race develops, so quote it with its retrieval date.