Election 2026: Encinitas City Council

ENCINITAS — Encinitas city government will have three seats up for grabs in November: mayor and City Council districts 3 and 4.

The current candidate filings are preliminary and come ahead of the city’s official nomination period, which runs from July 13 through Aug. 7. Candidates must submit nomination papers during that window to officially qualify for the November ballot.

In an early look at the races, incumbent Mayor Bruce Ehlers and challenger Rimga Viskanta, a trustee on the San Dieguito Union High School District board of trustees, have filed to run for mayor in the upcoming election as of publication, according to the city clerk.

Arielle Golden and Ed Sprague have filed to represent City Council District 3, and Brad Lefkowits filed to run for District 4.

Mayor

Ehlers grew up in a Chicago suburb before studying engineering at Purdue University. He has lived in Encinitas for more than 40 years and currently resides in Olivenhain.

After serving approximately seven years on the Encinitas Planning Commission, he was elected mayor in 2024, defeating incumbent Tony Kranz on a campaign focused on local control over development, infrastructure improvements and strengthening public safety.

During his first term as mayor, Ehlers has highlighted infrastructure improvements, public safety and operational reforms as key accomplishments. In his April State of the City address, he pointed to accelerated road paving efforts, flood mitigation work in Leucadia and reductions in several categories of crime as evidence that the city is “getting stuff done.”

Ehlers also cited efforts to improve traffic safety through lowered speed limits and increased enforcement, along with coastal preservation projects, wildfire preparedness coordination and reforms to the city’s permitting system. He said the city paved 15 miles of roadway in 2025 and planned to complete another 18 miles by the summer.

Ehlers was not immediately available for comment on Monday.

Viskanta, a resident of Old Encinitas, has served on the SDUHSD board since 2022. She previously served on the Encinitas Union School District board from 2016 to 2020.

She said that, as mayor, she would focus on safer streets, traffic, housing solutions, addressing homelessness from a regional perspective and climate resilience. Viskanta said her policies would be informed by a range of community voices and that she did not want to make campaign promises too early.

“The thing compelling me to run is the online climate that is so divisive, but when I meet people face to face, it always feels cordial and like we have more common ground than we realized,” Viskanta said. “I want my campaign to be about bringing together different voices, versus me coming in saying, ‘Here’s precisely what I think is the solution.’”

District 3

Golden holds a Master of Business Administration degree from UC San Diego and has worked in food systems and community organizing. She has served as chair of the North County Food Policy Council, which brings together public, private and nonprofit entities to improve regional food systems. Golden has also represented North County San Diego on the state’s Food Policy Council.

Golden told The Coast News that she would prioritize mobility for residents of all ages and all types of road users in development. She added that climate resilience is also a focus and that she would work collaboratively with the state and other agencies to ensure the best outcomes for residents.

“I had seen a lot of issues with the current council – they got elected by talking about development and stopping development, but that is an issue that’s guided by state law and they have approved everything that’s crossed their desks,” Golden said. “And so I think we need a fresh approach on our city council – which I can provide – within the framework of state laws. I think we are responsible to make sure we have infrastructure on our streets to support growth, provide meaningful, affordable housing, and protect our environment.”

Sprague moved to Encinitas in 1977 and said in a video released on social media that he has seen many changes in the city over the years — “some of them are excellent and some not so much.” He has a history of public service, including service with the Carlsbad Fire Department and the North County Fire Authority, as well as serving as president of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District.

He holds a master’s degree in public administration from San Diego State University.

Sprague told The Coast News his three main priorities were public safety, local control and the environment. He said that when it comes to local plans for growth, state policies have “blown that all up” and that he wants to “push back on the state mandates.” Ultimately, Sprague said he wanted his grandkids to enjoy Encinitas and “the same special life I did.”

“What I’m hoping to do is preserve and protect what I love about this community,” Sprague said.

District 4

Lefkowits owns a landscape design company and has served on the city’s Urban Forest Advisory Commission since 2023. Recognized by the Olivenhain Municipal Water District for water-smart landscaping, he said environmental stewardship would be a focus of his campaign.

He was a founding member of the advocacy group Parents of EUSD and spoke out in support of the LGBTQ+ community during the “Boo Bash” controversy.

“Encinitas is at a pivotal moment,” Lefkowits said in a statement. “I am running to bring common sense and collaboration back to City Hall so we can protect our coastal character, plan responsibly for growth, protect the most vulnerable members of our community and make decisions that are both legally sound and fiscally responsible.”