Shane Smith is heading toward a second term as the District 4 representative on the Merced City Council. Interestingly, he is running unopposed on this year's General Election ballot. It's the first time an incumbent has not been challenged since the election-by-district era began in Merced back in 2016. "I'll take it as a sign that…

At 32, Felipe Rojas-Flores is a relatively young attorney, local political candidate, and homeowner in south Merced. He's currently running for the District 2…

When Mike Nelson was first elected as mayor of Atwater four years ago, he vowed to bring public safety, economic development, transparency, and…

At the age of 23, it's no surprise that Roberto Montes is a newcomer to the scene of Atwater politics. It wasn't that long ago when he received a college degree just down the road at Stan State and then started his journey toward a meaningful career. While he has many friends in the area, and enjoys going to events organized by…

Yang Pao Thao is the incumbent candidate in the race for the District 2 seat on the Merced City Council to be decided this November. However, it…

Long before there was news about the elections for Merced City Council in 2026, John Bliss was starting plans to run for the District 6 seat that…

Shane Smith, who represents District 4 on the Merced City Council, launched his reelection campaign for a second term on Tuesday night in front of a large crowd of supporters in the backyard of the wonderful home of Kenra and Don Bragonier. The incumbent spoke in particular about his work to improve public safety in Merced,…

UPDATE: Yang Pao Thao was added to the candidate list for District 2 since this story was written. Thao is the current District 2 representative who was…

Yader Zeledon — a Merced barber who started his own business on Main Street and then extended his talents to the local real estate market — kicked off…