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Oceanside City Council, District 2

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City of Oceanside

Oceanside City Council, District 2

This person holds your district's seat on Oceanside's City Council. They vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use. Oceanside is a charter city with a directly-elected mayor and four district council seats; Districts 1 and 2 are up this cycle, with Districts 3 and 4 and the mayor's office next up in 2028. The term is four years.

Rick Robinson holds this seat and faces four challengers. They are Perry Alvarez, Emily Gonzales, Ricky James, and Oscarin Ortega. Whoever gets the most votes on November 3 wins the seat. There is no runoff.

This person holds District 2's seat on Oceanside's City Council. They vote on city rules, the budget, and land use. Oceanside is a charter city. It has a directly elected mayor and four district council seats. Districts 1 and 2 are up this cycle. Districts 3 and 4 and the mayor's office are next up in 2028. District 2 is the city's northeast quadrant. It holds most of Oceanside's remaining farmland. Gonzales's campaign calls it the city's most wildfire-prone district. The term is four years.

Robinson is campaigning on continuity in the city's financial oversight. He also points to unfinished business from his first term. That includes the long-discussed push for agrotourism on the district's farmland. It also includes the city's RE:BEACH project. That project would add two artificial "living speed bumps" and an offshore reef. They are meant to slow sand erosion near Tyson Street and Wisconsin Avenue beaches. The estimated cost is $31.4 million. The project remains largely unfunded. His four challengers each make a different case for change. Gonzales and Ortega both center the district's diversity. Both say residents have gone unheard at City Hall. Alvarez is a repeat candidate on their second run for citywide or district office. James has the most limited public campaign presence of the field.

Richard Robinson

Richard "Rick" Robinson holds this seat. He was first elected in 2022, after a career as Oceanside's fire chief. He is running for a second term to focus on the city's financial health. That covers the budget, investment reports, and the city's fiscal standing. He also wants real progress on agrotourism for the district's farmers. He says he will keep backing the RE:BEACH erosion project.

Emily Gonzales

Emily Gonzales is a challenger. She serves on the city's Planning Commission. She is also executive director of The Swell Collective, a nonprofit she co-founded. Her priorities are public safety, smart growth, and affordability for working residents. She also wants to hold developers accountable and protect existing affordable housing. She has lived in Oceanside more than 20 years. She calls District 2 the city's most wildfire-prone district. She wants neighborhood-level readiness to match that risk.

Oscarin Ortega

Oscarin Ortega founded Lived Experiences. That nonprofit gives out free food, diapers, and laundry services, plus mentorship. He grew up in Oceanside. He is the father of five children in local schools. Like Gonzales, he says District 2's diversity is often overlooked. His priorities include centering residents in City Hall decisions and supporting small businesses. He also backs tax breaks on basic needs for seniors and city-owned affordable housing. He wants to protect families from aggressive immigration policies. He wants to revive the San Luis Rey River. He also wants recognition for Mid Valley and Deep Valley culture and history.

Perry Alvarez

Perry Alvarez's ballot title with the county is "Automotive Repair Manager." The San Diego Union-Tribune describes them instead as a computer network design engineer. They ran for Oceanside mayor in 2020 and lost. No other information about their 2026 platform was found.

Ricky James

Ricky James's ballot title with the county is "Real Estate Broker." They describe 11 years in commercial real estate. They oppose the proposed sales tax increase. They want a community plan for South Morro Hills.

Your pick

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

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