# Kingsburg City Council, District 5 Compare records and positions simply between Vince Palomar or Charlie Soto for Kingsburg City Council, District 5 at VoteOrElse.com. On the November 3, 2026 California general election ballot. This person would hold one of Kingsburg's five district-elected City Council seats. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. Kingsburg is a Fresno County city of about 12,400 residents. The term is four years. After each election, the council selects a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tem. Both come from among its own members. Voters do not choose either office directly. The city has no elected City Clerk or City Treasurer. - Jurisdiction: City of Kingsburg - Election: November 3, 2026 California general election - Publisher: Vote or Else (https://voteorelse.com) — a free, nonpartisan ballot guide for California voters. No endorsements. - Canonical page: https://voteorelse.com/2026/kingsburg-council-5 - 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: September 1, 2026 - Source-objectivity score: 90 out of 100 (Very strong), across 5 cited sources. This grades the mix of sources, not the candidates. Rubric: https://voteorelse.com/about#methodology ## On the ballot - **Vince Palomar** — Machinist/Wrestling Coach · Incumbent - **Charlie Soto** — Tax Auditor A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot. Incumbent Vince Palomar faces one challenger, Charlie Soto, for Kingsburg's District 5 council seat -- whoever gets the most votes wins. This person would hold Kingsburg's District 5 seat on a five-member, district-elected City Council. They vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use for this Fresno County city of about 12,400 residents. The term is four years. The Council selects a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tem from among its own members after each election rather than voters choosing either office directly, and Kingsburg has no elected City Clerk or City Treasurer. Fresno County's own post-filing records confirm Palomar reached this seat by direct election, not appointment -- their filed ballot designation is their occupation, "Machinist/Wrestling Coach," rather than "Incumbent" (candidates choose their own designation under California elections law, so the omission isn't itself a claim about Palomar's status). This dataset found no independent reporting comparing the two candidates or covering the race. ## Vince Palomar The incumbent, seeking another term; Palomar's filed ballot designation is "Machinist/Wrestling Coach." Fresno County's own records confirm they hold this seat by direct election in a prior cycle, not appointment. This dataset found no independent biographical detail beyond the county's own filing and the city's own Council roster, which lists them as the sitting District 5 representative. **Strengths:** Sitting experience on the Council, reached by direct election rather than appointment. **Trade-offs:** This dataset found no independent reporting or biography evaluating Palomar's record in office. **Keep in mind:** Their stated occupation (machinist, wrestling coach) is the only biographical detail available here. ## Charlie Soto A first-time candidate challenging the incumbent; Soto's filed ballot designation is "Tax Auditor." This dataset found no independent biographical detail (background, platform, or campaign materials) for them beyond the county's own candidate filing. **Strengths:** A stated occupation (tax auditor) that could bring financial-oversight experience to the Council, though this dataset could not independently verify or expand on it. **Trade-offs:** No campaign materials, endorsements, or independent coverage were found for Soto. **Keep in mind:** As a challenger, they have no council voting record to evaluate. ## Sources 1. [City of Kingsburg -- "Election Information" page: states City Council Districts 1, 4, and 5 are up for election on November 3, 2026; the candidate nomination period runs July 13-Aug. 7, 2026 (extendable to Aug. 12, 2026 if an eligible incumbent does not file); and names City Clerk Abigail Palsgaard as the contact for pulling nomination papers](https://www.cityofkingsburg-ca.gov/153/Election-Information) 2. [City of Kingsburg -- "City Council" page: names the sitting Council by district -- David M. Silva (District 1), Laura North (District 2, term to Nov. 2028), Brandon Pursell (District 3, term to Nov. 2028, Mayor Pro Tem), Staci Smith (District 4, Mayor), Vince Palomar (District 5) -- and states "following each election, the City Council elects from its members a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem"](https://www.cityofkingsburg-ca.gov/156/City-Council) 3. [Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters -- CFMR009 "Candidate List" for the Nov. 3, 2026 Consolidated Statewide General Election (printed 8/12/2026 5:37:13PM, post-filing-deadline): lists Kingsburg's three City Council district contests (5105, 5112, 5113), each Vote For 1 -- David M. Silva (District 1, "Incumbent"), Staci Smith (District 4, "Incumbent"), and District 5's two qualified candidates, Charlie Soto ("Tax Auditor") and Vince Palomar ("Machinist/Wrestling Coach")](https://www2.fresnocountyca.gov/2850/post/2026NOV/CandidateList.pdf) 4. [Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters -- CFMR001 "Contest/Candidate Proof List," filtered to Contests on Ballot, for the Nov. 3, 2026 election (printed 8/18/2026 8:39:55AM): independently confirms the same three Kingsburg contests, each ON BALLOT despite Districts 1 and 4 having only one qualified candidate apiece -- not cancelled under Elections Code Section 10229 -- and separately confirms David Michael Silva, Staci Deann Smith, and Vincent Palomar each reached their current seats by direct election (not appointment)](https://www2.fresnocountyca.gov/2850/post/2026NOV/Contests%20on%20Ballot%20with%20Qualified%20Candidates.pdf) 5. [Wikipedia's Kingsburg, California article: population 12,380 (2020 census), incorporated May 29, 1908](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsburg,_California) ## The rest of the ballot Kingsburg City Council, District 5 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, "Kingsburg City Council, District 5 — November 3, 2026 California general election," https://voteorelse.com/2026/kingsburg-council-5 (sources last retrieved September 1, 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.