Local Election

Incumbent Vang has lead in Fresno City Council District 5 race. Will there be a runoff?

Fresno City Council District 5 candidates left to right top, Jose Leon Barratza and Brandon Vang, bottom left to right, Danielle Parra and Nicholas Wildstar, seen during a Fresno City Council forum held by The Fresno Bee Friday, April 17, 2026 in downtown Fresno.
Brandon Vang, center, who currently sits on the Fresno City Council Council’s District 5, is congratulated by supporters after taking a lead in the June 2 election during an election night watch party at Chez Maryse in Fresno on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Fresno City Councilman Brandon Vang was in the lead Tuesday in his re-election bid for his District 5 seat.

It appears Vang is all but certain to advance to the November general election, with a major question Tuesday night determining who, or if, another candidate will force a November runoff in the General Election.

As of 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, State Center Community College Trustee Danielle Parra trailed not too far behind Vang. He gained 51.98% of the vote, while Para received 30.50%.

District 5 candidate Danielle Parra, center, is seen at a campaign gathering at Sequoia Brewing in the Tower District Tuesday night, June 2, 2026 in Fresno.
District 5 candidate Danielle Parra, center, is seen at a campaign gathering at Sequoia Brewing in the Tower District Tuesday night, June 2, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com

Former Fresno County Director of Economic Development Jose Leon Barraza was next in line with 12.14% of the vote, and entrepreneur Nickolas Wildstar was last with 5.14%.

To secure a seat, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote Tuesday. If no one gets a majority of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to the general.

Vang was first sworn into office on April 10, 2025, becoming the first person of Hmong descent to represent District 5 and the second person in the history of the Fresno City Council.

He received just over 50% of the vote in a special election last year.

As the incumbent, Vang has been endorsed by some labor groups including the Fresno Teachers Association and the Fresno City Employees Association. Para is Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s pick.

District 5 encompasses a large portion of southeast Fresno, including neighborhoods including Sunnyside, Roosevelt, and Fancher Creek.

This is a developing story and will be updated as votes come in through Tuesday night.

This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 9:25 PM.

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