Pleasant Hill voters in Districts 3 and 4 will each elect one City Council member on Tuesday, Nov. 3. It is the first time either seat is decided by district. Four candidates qualified, according to the city's official list: Mayor Zac Shess and Jason Seto in District 3, and Councilmember Sue Noack and Dr. Quy Tran in District 4.

Why it matters: The council has five members and decides by a three-vote majority. Whoever wins these two seats will help decide how the city closes projected budget gaps and whether to revisit the rezoning the council approved last year.

Why Pleasant Hill is voting by district now

The council adopted Ordinance 963 in July 2023 to switch from citywide to district elections. Districts 1, 2 and 5 were decided in 2024 for terms running through 2028. Shess and Noack were both elected citywide in 2022, so this is their first race in the new districts, Contra Costa News reported. Council terms are four years and there are no term limits. The mayor is chosen by the council at its first regular meeting in December.

District 3: Shess vs. Seto

Zac Shess was elected in 2022, served as vice mayor in 2025 and was picked by colleagues as mayor for 2026. Before the council he spent nearly a decade on the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District board, including three years as chair. He has emphasized public safety, fiscal discipline and infrastructure spending, according to Contra Costa News.

Jason Seto is a lifelong Pleasant Hill resident. He says he has served two years on the police chief's advisory panel, according to the PlayPotus voter guide.

A fifth person, Samara Al-Jumaily, took out District 3 papers in July but did not file them, the city's list shows.

District 4: Noack vs. Tran

Sue Noack is the longest-serving current member. She was first elected in 2014, has been mayor three times, and since February 2025 has chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the nine-county agency that plans and funds Bay Area transportation. She is a former banking executive with a Wharton MBA, Contra Costa News reported.

Dr. Quy Tran is a physician and a twice-elected director of the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District board. He says he spent seven years on the city's Commission on Aging, according to PlayPotus.

What the next council decides

  • Budget: The council adopted a two-year budget 5-0 in June. City staff warned of significant deficits in both 2026-27 and 2027-28 without more cuts or new revenue.
  • Rezoning: In November 2025 the council voted 4-1 to rezone 1,072 parcels under Ordinance 978 for state housing rules. A council study session on Oct. 19 looked at possible changes in three areas.
  • Traffic fees and leaf blowers: The council approved a three-year phased increase in traffic impact fees on a 4-1 vote in June. A proposed limit on gas-powered landscaping equipment is also in the works.

How to vote

Ballot drop boxes in Pleasant Hill are at City Hall (100 Gregory Lane), the Public Service Center (310 Civic Drive), the library (2 Monticello Ave.) and Diablo Valley College, south of Parking Lot 8. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 27. All Contra Costa voters will also see the regional transit sales tax, Measure RTM. More races are on our Election 2026 guide, including the Concord City Council election.