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City of Rio Vista · Statewide General Election

Rio Vista City Council

This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.

On the ballot

This person would hold one of two at-large seats up this cycle on Rio Vista's 5-member City Council -- the citywide budget, land use, and oversight of city staff for this Solano County city of 10,005 residents (2020 Census) on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, while a City Manager runs day-to-day operations. Rio Vista's Mayor is not directly elected -- the Council appoints its own Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its elected members -- so this Council race is the only citywide vote on this ballot for Rio Vista city government.

Four candidates are running for two at-large seats on Rio Vista's City Council: incumbent Rick Dolk against challengers Robert Butler, Gloria J. Thibeaux, and Leslie Codling-Dichet. Vote for up to two -- no primary.

Council seats are elected at-large and citywide. Rio Vista's Mayor and Vice Mayor are not directly elected -- the Council appoints its own Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its elected members, confirmed by the city's own site: sitting Mayor Ronald Kott was elected to the Council in 2014, appointed Vice Mayor in 2016, and appointed Mayor in 2017. So this Council race is the only citywide vote on this ballot for Rio Vista city government. Winners join the rest of Rio Vista's 5-member Council -- the city budget, land use and zoning, and oversight of city staff for this Solano County city of 10,005 residents (2020 Census) on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta -- while a City Manager runs day-to-day operations. The county's own ballot does not specify an exact number of years for the term, and no Rio Vista resolution or notice confirming one was reachable this session.

Fellow incumbent Lisa Duke did not file for re-election, so one of the two seats is effectively open alongside Dolk's bid for another term; Butler, Thibeaux, and Codling-Dichet are all first-time candidates for Rio Vista city office. All four candidates filed an official ballot statement with the county, giving this dataset a genuine, symmetric first-person record for each of them.

One issue that has come before the current Council is how to respond to Flannery Associates (doing business as California Forever), the company that holds significant land near Rio Vista and proposed a large new city there -- the "East Solano Plan" -- before withdrawing that ballot proposal in July 2024. In December 2025 the Council voted 5-0 to enter a $100,000 reimbursement agreement covering city staff time on Flannery-related discussions, after neighboring Suisun City had already signed a similar agreement.

Rick Dolk

Rick Dolk is the Council's incumbent; his filed ballot designation is "Incumbent." His statement says he has served on the Council for the past seven years after growing up in Rio Vista, and that he has worked to keep the city moving forward while protecting its small-town character, scenic Delta location, and local businesses. He cites a balanced budget and responsible fiscal management, advancing the city's General Plan update, and promoting growth that respects the area's agricultural heritage and Delta environment as priorities from his time on the Council.

Strengths

A seven-year record as sitting Councilmember, plus one specific, checkable 2025 vote: he backed a $100,000 Flannery Associates reimbursement agreement the Council approved 5-0.

Trade-offs

His statement's claims about his own record (budget management, General Plan progress) are his own account, with no independent local reporting found to check them against.

Keep in mind

As the only incumbent, a vote for him is a referendum on his existing term, distinct from every challenger's first-time bid for city office.

Robert Butler

Robert Butler is a Marine Corps veteran and challenger; his filed ballot designation is "Retired USMC SGT," while his own candidate statement lists his occupation as "Appointed Airport Commissioner" -- a current, unpaid city commission role distinct from his ballot designation. His statement says he has helped organize Airport Day, an event promoting education, tourism, and economic opportunity around the Rio Vista Municipal Airport, and that he is a strong advocate for the city's veterans, whom he describes Rio Vista as having one of the highest shares of among California cities. He states priorities of transparent and accountable government, public safety, and responsible financial decisions.

Strengths

A current appointed city role (Airport Commissioner) the other three candidates don't have, plus a named civic initiative, Airport Day, this pass could independently confirm.

Trade-offs

No prior elected experience; his stated priorities (transparency, accountability, public safety) are broad themes shared with the other two challengers.

Keep in mind

His ballot designation, "Retired USMC SGT," and his statement's occupation line, "Appointed Airport Commissioner," describe two different things -- his military background and his current unpaid city role.

Gloria J. Thibeaux

Gloria J. Thibeaux is a retired Human Resources Manager and challenger; her filed ballot designation is "Retired HR Manager." Her statement says she has lived in Rio Vista for a decade and previously owned a small business, in addition to 25 years as a Human Resources Manager and member of an executive leadership team. She frames her candidacy around "preserving what makes our city special while preparing responsibly for the future," citing transparent and fiscally responsible budgeting, road and water/sewer infrastructure, and downtown and waterfront revitalization as priorities.

Strengths

A specific dual background -- prior small-business ownership plus 25 years of HR and executive budget experience -- framed as directly relevant to Council budget work.

Trade-offs

No prior appointed or elected city role stated; her decade of residency is shorter than Dolk's lifelong ties or Butler's veteran-community roots.

Keep in mind

Her stated priorities on water/sewer infrastructure and downtown/waterfront revitalization overlap closely with Codling-Dichet's own -- worth comparing their specifics, not just their shared themes.

Leslie Codling-Dichet

Leslie Codling-Dichet is 63 and a challenger; her filed ballot designation is "Human Resources Manager." Her statement says her career spans executive HR management, public administration, clinical psychology, and special education, and that she holds advanced degrees in business, psychology, and public administration. She proposes forming dedicated Council committees on health, finance, and education, and lists fiscal responsibility, riverfront revitalization, streamlined business permitting, and expanded broadband among her priorities.

Strengths

The most specific institutional proposal of the four -- naming particular new Council committees on health, finance, and education -- plus the broadest stated education (three advanced degrees).

Trade-offs

No prior appointed or elected city role stated; like Thibeaux, some of her platform (fiscal responsibility, riverfront revitalization) overlaps with another challenger's.

Keep in mind

She was the last of the four to complete her filing, about a week after the others -- why an Aug. 11, 2026 Daily Republic story on the finalized field describes her filing as the one that "brought to four" the race; not itself meaningful.

Source review: Strong (87/100) · 9 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with several source types checked for context.

  • content.solanocounty.gov (opens in a new tab)Solano County Registrar of Voters -- official "Candidate Filed Log - November 3, 2026 General Election" (as of 8/20/2026): its "CITY OF RIO VISTA" section (page 12 of 15) lists Councilmember (Vote for 2, 4 qualified candidates including incumbent Rick Dolk; fellow incumbent Lisa Duke did not file), voted at-large -- re-downloaded fresh this session and confirmed unchanged against the county's own live current-election page
  • content.solanocounty.gov (opens in a new tab)Solano County Registrar of Voters -- November 2026 Voter Information Guide, Ballot Type 26 (the booklet covering City of Rio Vista races): carries the official, filed Statement of Candidate for all four Rio Vista Council candidates under Elections Code 13307 -- the candidates' own words on background and platform, including Leslie Codling-Dichet's age (63) and Robert Butler's stated occupation, "Appointed Airport Commissioner"
  • en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia -- "Rio Vista, California": used for the 2020 Census population (10,005), the Dec. 30, 1893 incorporation date, and the 2024-withdrawn "East Solano Plan" -- Flannery Associates' (California Forever's) shelved proposal for a large new city on land it holds near Rio Vista, background for the Dec. 2025 Council vote covered separately
  • web.archive.org (opens in a new tab)City of Rio Vista's own website (web.archive.org snapshot, Jan. 16, 2024): sitting Mayor Ronald Kott's own city bio page states he "was elected to the City Council in November 2014," was "appointed Vice Mayor" in 2016, and was "appointed Mayor of Rio Vista" in November 2017 -- confirming the Council selects its own Mayor and Vice Mayor rather than voters electing a Mayor directly; also lists a 5-member Council and a City Manager among city departments, consistent with a council-manager government. A Jan. 2024 snapshot; used only for this structural mechanism, not asserted as the current 2026 Council roster
  • dailyrepublic.com (opens in a new tab)Daily Republic -- "November ballots being filled by city incumbents, hopefuls" (Todd R. Hansen, July 21, 2026): early in the filing period, reports "Incumbent Rick Dolk, and challengers Leslie Codling-Dichet and Gloria Thibeaux have taken out papers" for Rio Vista's two open Council seats
  • dailyrepublic.com (opens in a new tab)Daily Republic -- "Host of incumbents get free passes into new terms" (Todd R. Hansen, Aug. 11, 2026): reports that "Leslie Codling-Dichet on Monday brought to four the number of candidates seeking two open council seats in Rio Vista," confirming the final qualified field and her filing date
  • dailyrepublic.com (opens in a new tab)Daily Republic -- "Voters have plenty of city, education choices across Solano County" (Todd R. Hansen, Aug. 13, 2026, updated Aug. 18, 2026): the countywide roundup once the extended nomination period closed, listing "Rio Vista City Council (2 seats) -- Incumbent Rick Dolk, Robert Butler, Gloria J. Thibeaux, Leslie Codling-Dichet" as the final field
  • dailyrepublic.com (opens in a new tab)Daily Republic -- "Rio Vista reimbursement agreement meets with support, opposition" (Amy Maginis-Honey, Dec. 5, 2025): staff coverage of a Council meeting on a $100,000 reimbursement agreement with Flannery Associates; quotes sitting "Councilman Rick Dolk" that neighboring Suisun City's own agreement was "forcing Rio Vista's hand," on a matter the Council voted 5-0 to approve. Used narrowly for this one dated quote and vote, not for Dolk's 2026 campaign generally
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)California Secretary of State CAL-ACCESS -- filer searches for all four Rio Vista candidates ("Rick Dolk," "Robert Butler," "Gloria Thibeaux," "Leslie Codling-Dichet"): every query returned only an Incapsula bot-detection challenge page, the same recurring block documented elsewhere in this dataset's Solano County shards this session

Last updated September 1, 2026.