Clovis launches district-based election for first time. New rules for running, voting
The City of Clovis kicked off its first district-based election as the nomination period opened Monday. Candidates interested in running for city council may submit paperwork until the end of the workday on Aug. 7.
November marks the first time for Clovis residents to vote for council members who live in their neighborhoods instead of making multiple choices on the ballot from a list of candidates citywide.
With roughly 125,000 residents, Clovis is one of the last California cities of its size to change from an at-large voting system to district-based voting system. The city made this reluctant shift in 2024 after receiving a letter from a Malibu-based law firm threatening to sue the city for its at-large system violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002.
This year, the districts participating in the city council election are Districts 1, 4, and 5. Citizens who are 18 or older and reside within the districts are eligible to run, according to the election map the current council adopted in 2025.
The council seats for Districts 2 and 3 will open in the 2028 election.
There’s no minimum residency requirement for candidates to sign up for this district’s race, said Briana Parra, the city’s clerk.
In Clovis, the city council is a five-member legislative body that meets three times a month to discuss city business. Council members serve for a four-year term with no term limits. The compensation for each council member is $1,513 per month, according to the city documents.
For Clovis residents who are interested in running for the council, the city provides a one-on-one tutorial to walk them through the election process and campaign requirements. Prospective candidates should make an appointment with the Clerk’s Office between July 13 and Aug. 7, Parra said.
In the current council, incumbents Matt Basgall and Drew Bessinger, who live in Districts 4 and 5, respectively, confirmed to The Fresno Bee that they will run for reelection.
Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pearce, whose term will also expire this year, decided to compete for a seat on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. One of her major opponents is Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua, though his term in Clovis does not end until 2028.
Longtime Councilmember Lynne Ashbeck lives in District 2. As of 2025, when the council selected the election map, no incumbents lived in District 1, according to city officials.
