Two challengers join three incumbents in Palm Springs City Council race

Two candidates have joined three incumbent Palm Springs councilmembers on the list of nominees verified for the Nov. 3 general municipal election, according to the City Clerk’s office.

Councilmember Grace Garner, seeking reelection in District 1, had her nomination papers verified July 22. She is joined on the ballot by Don Soja, a resident of the Mountain Gate development and former vice chair of the city’s Human Rights Commission. Soja’s papers were verified July 29.

Soja said Palm Springs has been his full-time home for more than 19 years and that he has visited the city since 1973. His priorities include transparency, a balanced city budget, equal rights and opportunities, properly funded retirement accounts, more realistic approaches to homelessness, and more low-income housing throughout the city.

Soja was a founding member of Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs (ONE-PS), previously served as president of the Racquet Club West Neighborhood, volunteered with the Palm Springs Police Department’s Citizen on Patrol program and the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, and helps feed homeless residents on Saturday mornings at the United Methodist Church.

“I truly am committed to making the Palm Springs community a better place for everyone,” he said.

Councilmember Ron deHarte’s nomination for District 3 was verified July 28. Charles Brown, a resident of the Baristo neighborhood who filed his papers Aug. 6, was verified the following day.

Brown, who first visited Palm Springs in the 1980s as a high school student and later taught high school in the city, said he is running “to be a voice for every single resident here in District 3.” He said his campaign is built around five pillars he calls CARE: community, affordability, responsible government, economic vitality and sustainability.

On the local economy, Brown said he wants to find “real, practical ways to keep our local businesses strong and thriving all year round,” noting that shops and restaurants need support “just as much during the off-season” as during the busy season. He also pointed to redesigning the Convention Center to attract “world-class events and conferences” and expanding the airport as growth priorities.

On affordability, Brown said he will “fight to make sure that District 3 remains a place where working families, seniors, young professionals, and long-time residents can all afford to stay and thrive,” including pushing for “responsible development that includes affordable housing options.”

Brown also said he wants to build community connections in District 3 so that “safety is a shared responsibility” and “everyone has a stake in our collective future.”

In District 2, Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein’s nomination was verified July 28. No challengers for the seat have been verified by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.

Each of the three district seats carries a four-year term.

Permanent vote-by-mail ballots are set to be mailed starting Oct. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. To find your voting district, click here for an interactive map.

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