Mayor of La Mesa

Patricia Normandy-Dillard has lived in La Mesa for 25 years. They have served on the City Council for four years. They are vice chair of the city's Community Police Oversight Board. They work as a mortgage broker. Their earlier career spanned about 40 years in business development, customer service, and sales. They co-chair the city's Juneteenth and Friends event. That event drew an estimated 1,500 people in its first year. They are a Democrat. The San Diego County Democratic Party has endorsed them. Their website says they want La Mesans to have economic opportunity and good schools. They launched their mayoral campaign in late 2025.

Laura Lothian is a real estate agent. She has been a La Mesa councilmember for over four years. She was first elected in a 2021 special election. That election replaced Akilah Weber, who won a State Assembly seat. Lothian was re-elected to a full term in 2022. She is a Republican endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party. She joined the 2026 mayoral race in April. As a councilmember she pushed the city to hire a full time community cleanup coordinator. She opposed a battery storage facility planned for a residential neighborhood. In January 2025 she called for a "15 Strikes and You're Out" policy. This would target homeless people who repeatedly refuse city outreach services. She cited a 47% year over year rise in La Mesa's unsheltered count. She also cited a widely discussed claim linking homelessness to some nearby wildfires. Her 2022 platform focused on public safety, opposing tax increases, and supporting small businesses. She also called for "cleaning up the streets." She has voiced doubts about the city's climate action plans. Her campaign website says "Laura Lothian gets things done." It says she wants to simplify permitting and protect small businesses. It also calls for stopping graffiti and litter and adding more speed humps.

Jim Stieringer is a retired businessman and former La Mesa City Treasurer. Their ballot designation is "Retired City of La Mesa Treasurer." They are a Republican who served five terms on the Grossmont Healthcare District board. They also served on the Grossmont Union High School District board. They warn of what they call the "relentless 'ghettoization' of La Mesa." Their top priority is preserving the Amaya Street trolley station parking lot.

Quinn M. Reese is a regenerative farmer with no reported party affiliation. His platform focuses on small businesses and renters. His campaign site says City Hall's loudest voices are tied to money. He says renters, small business owners, and families make La Mesa what it is. He frames himself as a neighbor to the city, not an outsider.