# Rio Vista City Council Compare records and positions simply between Leslie Codling-Dichet, Rick Dolk, Robert Butler, and 1 more for Rio Vista City Council at VoteOrElse.com. On the November 3, 2026 California general election ballot. This person would hold one of two at-large seats on Rio Vista's City Council. The Council has five members total, and a City Manager runs day-to-day operations. Rio Vista's Mayor is not directly elected. Instead, the Council picks a Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its own members. This makes the Council race Rio Vista's only citywide vote for city government. - Jurisdiction: City of Rio Vista - Election: November 3, 2026 California general election - Seats: 2 - Publisher: Vote or Else (https://voteorelse.com) — a free, nonpartisan ballot guide for California voters. No endorsements. - Canonical page: https://voteorelse.com/2026/rio-vista-council - 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: 87 out of 100 (Strong), across 9 cited sources. This grades the mix of sources, not the candidates. Rubric: https://voteorelse.com/about#methodology ## On the ballot - **Leslie Codling-Dichet** — Human Resources Manager - **Rick Dolk** — Incumbent - **Robert Butler** — Retired USMC SGT - **Gloria J. Thibeaux** — Retired HR Manager A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot. Four candidates are running for two at-large seats on Rio Vista's City Council. Incumbent Rick Dolk faces challengers Robert Butler, Gloria J. Thibeaux, and Leslie Codling-Dichet. Vote for up to two. There is 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. Their filed ballot designation is "Incumbent." Their statement says they have served on the Council for the past seven years. They grew up in Rio Vista. They say they have worked to keep the city moving forward. They also say they have protected its small-town character, scenic Delta location, and local businesses. They cite a balanced budget and responsible fiscal management as priorities from their time on the Council. They also cite advancing the city's General Plan update. They cite promoting growth that respects the area's agricultural heritage and Delta environment. **Strengths:** A seven-year record as sitting Councilmember. They also have one specific, checkable 2025 vote. They backed a $100,000 Flannery Associates reimbursement agreement the Council approved 5-0. **Trade-offs:** Their statement's claims about their own record are their own account. That covers budget management and General Plan progress. No independent local reporting was found to check them against. **Keep in mind:** They are the only incumbent. A vote for them is a referendum on their existing term. That is distinct from every challenger's first-time bid for city office. ## Robert Butler Robert Butler is a Marine Corps veteran and a challenger. Their filed ballot designation is "Retired USMC SGT." Their own candidate statement lists their occupation as "Appointed Airport Commissioner." That is a current, unpaid city commission role distinct from their ballot designation. Their statement says they have helped organize Airport Day. That event promotes education, tourism, and economic opportunity around the Rio Vista Municipal Airport. They say they are a strong advocate for the city's veterans. They describe Rio Vista as having one of the highest shares of veterans among California cities. They state priorities of transparent and accountable government, public safety, and responsible financial decisions. **Strengths:** A current appointed city role as Airport Commissioner. The other three candidates do not have one. They also have a named civic initiative, Airport Day, that could be independently confirmed. **Trade-offs:** They have no prior elected experience. Their stated priorities are transparency, accountability, and public safety. Those are broad themes shared with the other two challengers. **Keep in mind:** Their ballot designation is "Retired USMC SGT." Their statement's occupation line is "Appointed Airport Commissioner." Those describe two different things. One is their military background. The other is their current unpaid city role. ## Gloria J. Thibeaux Gloria J. Thibeaux is a retired Human Resources Manager and a challenger. Their filed ballot designation is "Retired HR Manager." Their statement says they have lived in Rio Vista for a decade. It says they previously owned a small business. They also spent 25 years as a Human Resources Manager and a member of an executive leadership team. They frame their candidacy around "preserving what makes our city special while preparing responsibly for the future." They cite transparent and fiscally responsible budgeting as a priority. They also cite road and water and sewer infrastructure. They cite downtown and waterfront revitalization. **Strengths:** A specific dual background. They previously owned a small business. They also have 25 years of HR and executive budget experience. They frame it as directly relevant to Council budget work. **Trade-offs:** No prior appointed or elected city role is stated. Their decade of residency is shorter than Dolk's lifelong ties. It is also shorter than Butler's veteran-community roots. **Keep in mind:** Their stated priorities overlap closely with Codling-Dichet's own. Both cite water and sewer infrastructure and downtown and waterfront revitalization. Compare their specifics, not just their shared themes. ## Leslie Codling-Dichet Leslie Codling-Dichet is 63 and a challenger. Their filed ballot designation is "Human Resources Manager." Their statement says their career spans executive HR management, public administration, clinical psychology, and special education. It says they hold advanced degrees in business, psychology, and public administration. They propose forming dedicated Council committees on health, finance, and education. They list fiscal responsibility, riverfront revitalization, streamlined business permitting, and expanded broadband among their priorities. **Strengths:** The most specific institutional proposal of the four. They name new Council committees on health, finance, and education. Their stated education is the broadest, with three advanced degrees. **Trade-offs:** No prior appointed or elected city role is stated. Like Thibeaux, some of their platform overlaps with another challenger's. Both cite fiscal responsibility and riverfront revitalization. **Keep in mind:** They were the last of the four to complete their filing, about a week after the others. An Aug. 11, 2026 Daily Republic story reported on the finalized field. That story describes their filing as the one that "brought to four" the race. That is not itself meaningful. ## Sources 1. [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](https://content.solanocounty.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/CANDIDATE_FILED_LOG_Nov_3_2026_7.13.26.pdf) 2. [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"](https://content.solanocounty.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/SOLA11031026_-_VIG_26_ES.pdf) 3. [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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Vista,_California) 4. [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](https://web.archive.org/web/20240116015119/https://www.riovistacity.com/citycouncil/page/mayor-ronald-kott) 5. [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](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/november-ballots-being-filled-by-city-incumbents-hopefuls/article_69b2704a-e56e-4c87-b6e6-24448c680c19.html) 6. [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](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/host-of-incumbents-get-free-passes-into-new-terms/article_6bce3660-cdef-4055-a5c8-f33c268e8fdd.html) 7. [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](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/voters-have-plenty-of-city-education-choices-across-solano-county/article_5130bf97-f784-4b59-8c03-e684f643a6d4.html) 8. [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](https://www.dailyrepublic.com/news/rio-vista-reimbursement-agreement-meets-with-support-opposition/article_3ad8fb8f-18f9-418c-a4bb-fbc758e78e1d.html) 9. [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](https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Misc/filerSearch.aspx?SEARCH=Rick%20Dolk) ## The rest of the ballot Rio Vista City Council 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, "Rio Vista City Council — November 3, 2026 California general election," https://voteorelse.com/2026/rio-vista-council (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.