The Temecula City Council is the five-member elected body that makes local law, approves the city budget, and sets policy for Temecula. Members are elected by district to staggered four-year terms, and the council picks one of its own as Mayor each December. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 41000 Main Street, and three seats (Districts 1, 3, and 5) are on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who Serves on the Council
As of 2026, the five members are:
- Jessica Alexander, District 2 — Mayor
- Matt Rahn, District 1 — Mayor Pro Tem
- Brenden Kalfus, District 3
- James “Stew” Stewart, District 4
- Zak Schwank, District 5
The council selected Alexander as Mayor and Rahn as Mayor Pro Tem in December 2025.1Temecula CA. Official Website All five members hold equal voting power regardless of title.
What the Council Does
The council is the city’s policy-making body. It adopts ordinances, approves the operating budget, sets priorities for capital improvement projects, and makes decisions on land use and development.2Temecula CA. City Council It also appoints both the City Manager and the City Attorney.
Under California’s council-manager framework, the City Manager serves as chief executive and runs daily operations: hiring staff, supervising departments, and delivering public services.3Justia Law. California Government Code 34851-34859 – City Manager The council can hire, direct through policy, and terminate the manager, but it does not supervise individual employees or run departments. Individual council members also have no independent authority to act for the city. Binding decisions require a majority vote at a properly noticed public meeting.
How the Mayor Is Chosen
Temecula voters do not elect the Mayor directly. After each general municipal election, the council selects one of its own members as Mayor and another as Mayor Pro Tem. Three affirmative votes are required, and each position carries a one-year term.4City of Temecula, CA. Temecula Municipal Code Chapter 2.04 – City Council
The Mayor presides over meetings, calls items, recognizes speakers, and maintains order. There is no veto power and no authority beyond what every other council member holds. The Mayor Pro Tem fills in when the Mayor is absent.
District Elections and the 2026 Ballot
Temecula elects council members by district. The city is divided into five geographic areas, and voters cast a ballot only in the district where they live. Each candidate must be a registered voter inside the district they seek to represent.5Temecula CA. Election and Voter Information This district-based system replaced the previous at-large format to comply with the California Voting Rights Act.
Terms are four years and staggered. Districts 1, 3, and 5 vote in one cycle; Districts 2 and 4 vote two years later. Elections fall on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.6City of Temecula, CA. Temecula Municipal Code Chapter 2.08 – Elections
The next municipal election is November 3, 2026, with three seats on the ballot: Districts 1, 3, and 5. Districts 2 and 4 will follow in November 2028.5Temecula CA. Election and Voter Information
When and Where the Council Meets
Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers at 41000 Main Street, Temecula.7City of Temecula. Agendas and Action Minutes Meetings begin at 3:00 p.m. and often open with a closed session for matters California law allows to be discussed privately, such as pending litigation, personnel, or real estate negotiations.8Office of the Attorney General. The Brown Act – Open Meetings for Local Legislative Bodies
The open session that follows is where the council votes on agenda items, hears staff reports, and takes public comment. You can attend in person or watch online. The agenda is posted at least 72 hours in advance on the city’s website.9California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 Check it before you go so you know when your item will come up.
How to Speak at a Meeting
To address the council, fill out a speaker card (also called a “Request to Speak” form). Cards are available at the back of the Council Chambers before the meeting and on the city’s website. Write your name, city of residence, and the agenda item number or topic, then give the card to the City Clerk before your item is called.
When the Mayor reaches that item, the Clerk calls speakers to the lectern by name. Each speaker gets three minutes. If you want the council to review documents while you speak, bring enough copies for each council member and the Clerk.
There is one rule that catches people off guard. The council cannot take action on anything raised during public comment that isn’t already on the posted agenda.9California Legislative Information. California Government Code 54954.2 You can still raise a new issue during the general public comment period, and the council can direct staff to look into it or add it to a future agenda. A binding vote the same night requires advance notice to the public.
Comments should be addressed to the council, not to the audience, and the municipal code treats shouting, interrupting another speaker, or preventing others from using their time as disruptive behavior that can result in a warning or removal from the meeting.4City of Temecula, CA. Temecula Municipal Code Chapter 2.04 – City Council
Running for a Seat
To run for Temecula City Council you must be at least 18, a registered voter in the district you want to represent at the time nomination papers are issued, and free of felony convictions related to public funds. The filing fee is $25. For the 2026 election, the nomination period runs from July 13 through August 7, 2026.5Temecula CA. Election and Voter Information
Temecula voters approved Measure M in November 2024 with nearly 84% support, imposing term limits on council members.10Riverside County Registrar of Voters. November 5, 2024 Election Results No council member may serve more than three four-year terms in a lifetime. The limit applies going forward only, and partial terms of two years or less do not count against the cap.
Vacancies that open mid-term can be filled either by appointment from the remaining council members or by leaving the seat open until the next scheduled election, when voters choose a representative for the balance of the term.