Early returns in Ontario’s mayoral race showed city council member Daisy Macias leading Tuesday’s count, while longtime council member Alan Wapner was narrowly ahead in the early count for District 3. The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters reported 7,216 votes for Macias, or 38.62%, ahead of her three rivals. These are early returns, not a final result.
Longtime Mayor Paul Leon, who joined the Ontario City Council in 1998 and became mayor in 2005, was second with 6,058 votes, or 32.43%, according to early results reported by the Daily Bulletin. Kevin Kizzee, who called for a forensic audit of city spending, received 16.74%; Nicolo Lalama, who campaigned on government transparency, reducing city spending and curbing warehouse overexpansion, received 12.21%. Macias emphasized fiscal responsibility. According to KVCR, she identified public safety, homelessness and city growth as priorities in a race the station described as focused on transparency, public safety and affordability.
Preliminary Council Results
District 3 had the closest council contest in the early count. Wapner, an incumbent who has served since 1994 and is a retired Ontario police sergeant, led with 1,990 votes, or 31.26%—135 more than second-place finisher Michael Rios, who received 1,855 votes, or 29.14%. Larry Trinidad had 22.78% and D'Andre Lampkin 16.81%, according to the same early count. Rios campaigned against warehouse expansion, increased truck traffic and unnecessary tax hikes; Trinidad focused on affordability, homelessness and increasing first responders; and Lampkin emphasized safer neighborhoods and economic growth.
Wapner had first entered the mayoral race, then dropped that bid and sought reelection to his council seat after FBI searches tied to the airport authority, according to the Daily Bulletin’s reporting. His council campaign focused on reducing street racing, homelessness and traffic congestion. In District 2, Ruben Valencia, a retired sheriff’s deputy who emphasized homelessness, spending and campaign finance transparency, led with 2,190 votes, or 57.56%. Stephanie Martinez, a bilingual interpreter who prioritized public safety and responsible economic growth, had 1,615 votes, or 42.44%.
The FBI Probe That Shadowed the Ballot
The unresolved FBI inquiry was part of the backdrop to the election. On July 28, FBI agents searched properties associated with Wapner, Curt Hagman, Frank Lizarraga and James Su, and authorities served subpoenas at Ontario City Hall and Ontario International Airport that day, according to the Daily Bulletin. Before the searches, Wapner was president and Hagman vice president of the Ontario International Airport Authority board. Wapner later relinquished his committee assignments, including the board presidency.
The investigation’s focus has not been made public. FBI officials said details were unavailable because the search warrants remained under seal, according to CBS News. As of Oct. 22, no charges were known to have been filed against any of the men whose homes or offices were searched, the Orange County Register reported.
Airport Travel Costs and Reimbursement Rules
The Orange County Register reported that Wapner was charged $184,997 by the airport authority for 72 trips between March 2021 and June 2026. Wapner has defended the travel as necessary airport business. After the FBI searches, the Ontario International Airport Authority tightened its reimbursement policies; board member Gouw also suggested disclosing board members’ stipend amounts monthly, the Southern California News Group reported via sbsun.com.
Kizzee’s forensic-audit proposal was one of several campaign appeals focused on public accountability, spending and development; Lalama, for example, called for curbing warehouse overexpansion. Kizzee served 22 years in federal prison for drug offenses and earned seven college degrees while incarcerated, according to the Daily Bulletin’s pre-election candidate coverage.
The Wider County Ballot
Ontario’s results were part of a larger San Bernardino County ballot that included seven mayoral races, more than 20 measures and elections for dozens of city council seats, according to NBC Los Angeles.
What the Records Show About the Airport Authority and Past Probes
Ontario expected to approve the Ontario International Airport Authority on Aug. 21. An Ontario International Airport Authority press release says airport ownership transferred from Los Angeles World Airports to the authority in 2016. The Moreno Valley corruption investigation had a different outcome from the unresolved Ontario inquiry: The Press-Enterprise reported that former councilman Marcelo Co pleaded guilty to taking a $2.36 million bribe from an undercover FBI agent and was sentenced to five years in prison.
