SAN PABLO, Contra Costa County — November 4, 2026. San Pablo has an unusually tight two-seat City Council election. In the latest unofficial count, Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado and Anna Villalobos are tied, while incumbent Rita Xavier trails by only 55 votes.

Four candidates for two seats

According to the Contra Costa County election-results overview, Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado has 1,605 votes (26.7%), Anna Villalobos also has 1,605 (26.7%), Rita Xavier has 1,550 (25.8%) and Caden Cotton-Blake has 1,241 (20.7%). Because there are two seats available, voters’ ability to select more than one candidate means vote shares are not shares of individual voters.

The lead has changed from early results

Richmond Confidential’s first-results report showed incumbents Xavier and Pabon-Alvarado ahead in the opening release, with Villalobos third. The newer numbers place Villalobos level with Pabon-Alvarado at 1,605, and Xavier 55 behind. Neither a first-place tie nor the current top-two ranking is certified.

Separate city measures

San Pablo residents also voted on Measures R and S. Those are distinct policy questions, not votes for candidates, and California58 covers their returns in a separate article.

Sources: Contra Costa County preliminary results; official canvass pending via county elections.

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