Fresno Council District 5 incumbent could avoid runoff, but ballots still to be counted
Fresno City Councilman Brandon Vang clung to a slim majority through Tuesday evening in his re-election bid for the District 5 seat — a scene nearly identical to his special election win last year.
State Center Community College Trustee Danielle Parra was his next closest challenger. By the end of primary election night, Vang gained 51.99% of the vote, while Parra received 30.46%.
Despite Vang’s huge lead, the outcome could be swayed by some of the 70,000 mail-in ballots still to be counted throughout Fresno County. If enough District 5 votes go against Vang, he could fall under the 50% threshold needed for an outright win. Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus said the next update will be Thursday afternoon, saying he plans to certify the election by June 26.
“No matter the final margin, I am humbled by the confidence voters have shown in our campaign,” Vang said. “Tonight (election night), we celebrate the momentum we have built together and look forward with optimism and determination.”
Parra remains hopeful for a chance to advance to a runoff in November’s general election as votes continue to be counted.
“We knew this would be a tough race,” she told The Bee on Wednesday morning. “District 5 was the only City Council race this cycle with an incumbent on the ballot, so we understood the challenge ahead. There are still many ballots left to count, but we’re encouraged by what we’ve seen so far. If the numbers continue trending in a positive direction, I believe we’ll be headed to a November runoff.”
The two other challengers, Jose Leon Barraza, a Former Fresno County Director of Economic Development, snagged 12.14% of the vote and entrepreneur Nickolas Wildstar grabbed 5.14% as of late Tuesday’s count.
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.
Before that, Vang served on the Sanger Unified School Board from 2016 until last year.
Parra was elected to the State Center Community College District Board of Trustees in 2020. She is also the vice president of communications at Vista Consulting Inc., a Valley-based public affairs firm.
As the incumbent, Vang had been endorsed by some labor groups including the Fresno Teachers Association and the Fresno City Employees Association. Para was Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer’s pick.
“This campaign has always been about putting our community first, listening to residents, and building a brighter future together,” Vang said in a statement after Tuesdays early results. “The strong support reflected in these early returns is a testament to the values we share and the progress we have made together.”
District 5 encompasses a large portion of southeast Fresno, including neighborhoods including Sunnyside, Roosevelt, and Fancher Creek.
This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM.