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Mayor of Imperial Beach

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City of Imperial Beach

Mayor of Imperial Beach

This person presides over City Council meetings and represents Imperial Beach publicly. They vote as one of five members on the budget and city laws. An appointed city manager runs daily government. Imperial Beach's mayor is the only council member elected citywide. The other members are elected by district. The term is four years.

Three candidates are running for Mayor of Imperial Beach. Incumbent Mitch McKay faces Karl Bradley and District 4 Councilmember Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez. Whoever gets the most votes on November 3 wins. There is no runoff.

This person presides over City Council meetings and represents Imperial Beach publicly, but votes as one of five members on the budget and city ordinances -- day-to-day city government runs through an appointed city manager. Imperial Beach's mayor is the only member of the council elected citywide rather than by district. The term is four years.

This race turns on style and approach as much as policy: McKay, a registered independent, has run a low-key, business-friendly mayoralty since his 2025 appointment. Bradley, a Democrat, is campaigning for a more assertive posture on the city's signature issue, the Tijuana River sewage crisis. Leyba-Gonzalez entered the race at the last minute as a labor-backed wildcard who could either consolidate Democratic-leaning votes behind him or split them with Bradley, handing McKay a plurality win.

Mitchell "Mitch" McKay

Mitchell "Mitch" McKay is the incumbent Mayor of Imperial Beach. He was elected to the District 3 council seat in November 2022. He was in his third year on the council when colleagues appointed him mayor. The vote was 3 to 1, in August 2025. He filled the vacancy left when Paloma Aguirre resigned. Aguirre left to join the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. McKay is a registered independent. Voice of San Diego says he often votes like a Republican. He has focused on supporting local businesses. He has also managed the city's response to the Tijuana River sewage crisis. This is a quieter approach than the more confrontational style of his predecessor. He is now seeking his first full term as elected mayor.

Karl Bradley

Karl Bradley is a Democrat running for Mayor of Imperial Beach. They are a retired public school construction manager and administrator. This is their first bid for elected office. They have spent years as a civic volunteer in Imperial Beach. Bradley wants more active engagement with the Tijuana River sewage crisis than McKay's approach. They compare themselves to the more confrontational style of Aguirre's mayoralty. The county Democratic Party has not endorsed them. The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council has not endorsed them either. Both groups endorsed Leyba-Gonzalez instead.

Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez

Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez is the sitting District 4 councilmember, now in his second term. He also works as a union business official. He filed to run for mayor just days before the August 2026 deadline. Voice of San Diego says his late entry "upended" the race. It had looked like a stable two way contest. District 4 is the city's district farthest from the coast. It is home to some of the city's lowest income and most ethnically diverse residents. He is endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party. He is also endorsed by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.

Your pick

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

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