Encinitas’ 2026 election season is officially underway, with the candidate filing window for the November 3 municipal ballot opening last Monday, and immediately drawing would-be officeholders to City Hall. The mayor’s race and two City Council contests are now in play, and San Dieguito Union High School District trustee Rimga Viskanta and local landscape designer Brad Lefkowits were among the residents who picked up nomination papers on day one, signaling early interest in several hot-button local races. The nomination period runs through Friday, August 7, with limited extensions available in any contest where an incumbent chooses not to file.
Nomination period and key deadlines
Would-be candidates can only get into the game by appointment. Nomination papers must be obtained and returned to the City Clerk during normal business hours, within the formal filing window of July 13 through August 7. If an incumbent for mayor or a council district seat does not file by August 7, the deadline for that specific race is extended to August 12 at 5:30 PM, according to the City of Encinitas. The clerk’s office schedules appointments for both picking up and returning paperwork, and the city lists its usual public hours as Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Fridays, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with a few Fridays closed for business. Prospective candidates are urged to secure an appointment early to avoid a last-minute scramble.
Early contenders and local backgrounds
Rimga Viskanta has stepped forward as an early mayoral contender, announcing a run and picking up nomination papers. Her campaign materials note that she currently serves as a San Dieguito Union High School District trustee and previously sat on the Encinitas Union School District board, giving her a track record in local education governance. In her campaign announcement, Viskanta has framed her bid around climate resilience, safer streets, and housing-focused problem-solving. So far, the emerging field reflects candidates with school-board and neighborhood advocacy experience rather than long résumés in party politics.
Who else is in the mix and what's open
On the council side, landscape designer Brad Lefkowits has taken out paperwork to run for the District 4 seat, according to local coverage. Lefkowits chairs the city’s Urban Forest Advisory Committee and helped found the Parents of EUSD group, tying his profile to both trees and schoolyard politics. District 3 will also be on the ballot after Councilmember Joy Lyndes announced she will not seek re-election, turning that race into an open-seat contest that could shift the council’s balance on issues such as growth and public safety. Observers say the mayoral and district races are likely to revisit familiar Encinitas flashpoints - development, wildfire and climate planning, and neighborhood services - that have recently fueled spirited City Council meetings.
How to file and where to get help
Nomination packets are available by appointment through the City Clerk’s office, and the municipal elections page lists City Clerk Pete Weichers as the point person for appointments and questions, including phone and email contact details. Under the city’s candidate rules, anyone running must be a registered Encinitas voter, and council candidates must live in the district they seek to represent at the time nomination papers are issued. The City Clerk’s office can also direct would-be candidates to the required campaign-finance paperwork and the various disclosure and ethics forms that come with a run for local office.
What to watch next
Over the next several weeks, the field should come into sharper focus as candidates formally qualify for the ballot and any remaining incumbents decide whether to jump in before the August 7 cutoff. Voters and neighborhood groups will be watching to see which issues rise to the top during early outreach and candidate forums, from tree canopy and water-wise landscaping to housing policy and public-safety priorities. The city is keeping a running tally of who has picked up and returned nomination paperwork, updating its list as the filing period moves along.
