South Los Angeles faces a turning point. On November 3, 2026, voters head to the polls to decide who replaces Curren D. Price Jr. in the Los Angeles City Council District 9 seat. The general election pits Jose Ugarte against Estuardo Mazariegos. If you live anywhere from South Park to Vermont Square, this matchup shapes your neighborhood budget, local policing, and tenant protections for years.
Let's break down who these candidates are, where they differ, and what’s at stake in this critical contest.
The Primary Results and the Stakes
Ugarte led the June primary field with roughly 39.4% of the vote. Mazariegos followed in second place with about 26.2%. While Ugarte holds a solid primary lead, four other eliminated candidates captured a combined 34.3% of the vote. Those remaining ballots are up for grabs. Both campaigns know they must win over voters who supported the losing candidates back in June.
District 9 encompasses most of South Central Los Angeles. For decades, the district has served as a central hub for Black political power in Los Angeles. However, demographic shifts and voting patterns mean the district is on the verge of choosing its first non-Black councilmember since 1963.
Meet Jose Ugarte
Jose Ugarte is 40 years old, born in Oaxaca, and identifies as Mazateco, an Indigenous group native to southern Mexico. If elected, he would become the first Indigenous Oaxacan councilmember in Los Angeles history.
Ugarte's background runs deep in local labor and municipal politics. He worked as a community organizer for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor before joining Price's 2013 election campaign and subsequently serving on his council staff.
He enjoys broad institutional backing. His supporters include outgoing Councilmember Curren Price, the L.A. County Democratic Party, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles Action Fund, and the Central City Association of Los Angeles.
Yet, the campaign has not been without controversy. Ugarte was assessed a $25,000 fine this year by the city’s ethics commission after investigators found he failed to disclose income from a political consulting business. Ugarte blamed a clerical reporting error and started paying the fine in monthly installments.
Meet Estuardo Mazariegos
Estuardo Mazariegos is also 40 years old, born in Guatemala, and moved to the United States when he was three years old. He lives in Vermont Square and has a long history as a labor and community organizer. He helped found the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, serving as co-director of the group's L.A. branch before taking a leave of absence to run for office.
Mazariegos has leaned into his personal background during his campaign. In his twenties, he pleaded guilty to a gun possession charge. Today, he argues that the experience gives him direct empathy for community members navigating the criminal justice system.
Progressive leaders and organizations back his bid. His endorsements include City Controller Kenneth Mejia, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, and several labor unions.
Diverging Visions on Public Safety and Policing
Public safety remains a top concern for voters across South Los Angeles, and Ugarte and Mazariegos offer sharply contrasting paths forward.
Ugarte aligns with Mayor Karen Bass' push to rebuild the Los Angeles Police Department back up to 9,500 sworn officers. He wants to see an increased presence of officers patrolling on foot, bicycles, and horseback. On immigration, Ugarte wants to reinforce protections for undocumented residents. He proposes updating Special Order 40—the policy prohibiting LAPD officers from questioning people about their immigration status—by adding a provision that keeps federal immigration agents at least 100 to 200 feet away from local law enforcement operations.
Mazariegos takes a different approach. He advocates for shrinking the LAPD budget to redirect funds into street services, public parks, and sanitation. He supports dispatching unarmed crisis response teams to handle mental health calls instead of armed police officers. Mazariegos has also stated he would have opposed the 2023 police union contract due to its high cost, arguing that the city should focus on cutting police overtime and shifting liability payouts for police misconduct directly out of the LAPD budget rather than the general city fund.
How to Approach Your Vote
Deciding between Ugarte and Mazariegos depends on what you value most in municipal leadership.
If you favor a candidate with direct experience inside City Hall who supports rebuilding police staffing levels and strengthening traditional labor partnerships, Ugarte's platform aligns with your views.
If you want a grassroots activist who pushes for structural budget reallocations away from traditional policing, prioritizes unarmed crisis response, and challenges establishment spending, Mazariegos offers the alternative you are looking for.
Review your sample ballot, check your registration status, and cast your vote on or before November 3, 2026. Local government shapes your daily life far more than national politics. Make your voice heard.
