Hollister will elect a new mayor on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Mayor Roxanne Stephens did not seek re-election; she lost a June race for San Benito County supervisor, BenitoLink reported. The mayor serves a two-year term.
The candidates
- Tim Burns, 73, is a code enforcement division chief for San Joaquin County and served on the City Council from 2020 to 2024. He told the Free Lance he wants to get Hollister "back to basics" with a focus on public safety, infrastructure and budgeting, and called two outstanding annual audits "unacceptable."
- Tina Garza, 56, spent 25 years with the city, including as interim parks and recreation director, and now works as a substitute teacher. She has not held elected office. Her priorities include quality of life, public safety keeping pace with growth, roads and fiscal responsibility.
- Scott McPhail is a cannabis entrepreneur and lifelong resident who has run for City Council and county supervisor in recent years.
Where they stand
On the Hollister motorcycle rally, Burns told BenitoLink he would support it only as a self-sustaining private event, and Garza said the city should not keep carrying its cost in its current form. Both named the wastewater treatment plant as a top infrastructure priority.
Council races
The Free Lance reports Brian Chavez and Frida Benjamin are running in District 2, and William B. Avera faces incumbent Dolores Morales in District 3. The race comes after a turbulent year at City Hall; see Hollister reverses layoffs of 35 city workers.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.