Stockton City Council races see three incumbents seek reelection in Districts 1, 3 and 5

Three Stockton City Council seats are up for election Tuesday, with incumbents Michele Padilla, Michael Blower and Brando Villapudua each seeking a second term.

All three races went to November runoffs after none of the incumbents won a majority in the June primary.

In District 1, Padilla, a Stockton Unified School District educator, faces Tamica Small, a former county probation officer. Both have made public safety a priority. Padilla has called for a dedicated police officer for her district and a citywide safe camping site, while Small wants more police staffing and an audit of city homelessness spending.

In District 3, Blower, a business owner, faces Jessica Toccoli, a special education teacher. Blower points to investments in police staffing, fire equipment and parks, while Toccoli has called for more youth programs and tying city contracts with nonprofits to measurable results.

In District 5, Villapudua has focused on public safety, homelessness and neighborhood conditions. Lynch, a registered nurse, withdrew from the race in August, days after she was arrested. Prosecutors allege she used addresses where she did not live to qualify as a District 5 candidate. She faces six felony charges and has not entered a plea. Because she withdrew after the deadline, her name remains on the ballot.

All three incumbents finished first in June's primary but fell short of a majority. Padilla received 49%, Blower 48% and Villapudua 34%, according to certified results.