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Cudahy City Council

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City of Cudahy

Cudahy City Council

This person holds one of three at-large seats on Cudahy's City Council. These seats are up this cycle. The council has five members in all. Terms are four years and staggered. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. The council picks one of its own members to serve as Mayor. This title rotates rather than being separately elected. An appointed city manager runs day-to-day operations.

Five candidates are running for three at large seats on Cudahy's City Council. Incumbents Cynthia Gonzalez and Martin U. Fuentes are seeking new terms. Their challengers are Richard Corvera-Hernandez, Jose R. Gonzalez, and Cynthia Romo.

Council seats carry 4-year terms, staggered so either two or three seats are up each cycle — this year it's three, including the seat of Councilmember Elizabeth Alcantar Loza, who did not file for another term. Winners join two sitting councilmembers not up this cycle, Daisy Lomelí and Amanda Gomez, 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 day-to-day operations run through an appointed city manager.

The field resolves an open question about its own size: a sixth Cudahy resident, Nathan Nuñez, pulled nomination papers but never filed them, leaving five qualified candidates for three seats, not six. The most consequential fact for this cycle is Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez's June 2025 social-media video, made while she was still Vice Mayor, naming local street gangs and urging them to organize against ICE raids — national news for weeks before she apologized and clarified her intent at a council meeting. Both incumbents are seeking another term against three challengers with no history in elected Cudahy office.

Cynthia Gonzalez

Cynthia Gonzalez, Ed.D., is the incumbent Mayor, a title given by fellow councilmembers. She was first elected to the council in 2022 and seeks another 4 year term. In June 2025 she asked gangs to organize against ICE, saying she meant peaceful organizing.

Martin U. Fuentes

Martin U. Fuentes is the incumbent councilmember, a Cudahy resident of more than 40 years. They have served a term as rotating Mayor and seek another 4 year term. Before joining the council, they worked for Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Senator Gloria Romero.

Richard Corvera-Hernandez

Richard Corvera-Hernandez is a challenger running for a seat on the City Council. They served on Cudahy's Planning Commission from January 2022 to April 2026. The councilmember who appointed them then removed them and named a replacement.

Jose R. Gonzalez

Jose R. Gonzalez is a challenger and former councilmember running to return to the council. They were appointed, not elected, to their prior council seat and later served as Mayor. They served as Mayor from December 2023 until their term ended in December 2024.

Cynthia Romo

Cynthia Romo is a challenger who has lived in Cudahy for more than 40 years. They are running for City Council alongside incumbent Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez as the 'Two Cynthias.' They work as PACE Outreach and Marketing Regional Director at AltaMed Health Services.

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A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.

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