Several Stockton City Council candidates, including two incumbents, did not participate in either of the local forums held this election cycle, leaving voters with limited opportunities to compare candidates in a public setting ahead of the June 2 primary election.
The absence of multiple candidates across all three council districts on the ballot contributed to an unusually quiet forum season compared with previous election cycles, when candidates typically appeared at multiple forums hosted by civic and faith-based organizations.
Only two forums were held for Stockton City Council races this election cycle, both organized by community coalitions. Candidate attendance was lower than in prior cycles, with several races featuring incomplete lineups or no direct matchups between incumbents and challengers.
Across Districts 1, 3 and 5, a handful of candidates did not attend either forum in their respective races. District 1 Councilmember Michele Padilla, District 5 Councilmember Brando Villapudua, District 3 candidates Jessica Toccoli and Joey Veltri, and District 5 candidate Max Beas missed both events.
The result was an election cycle with limited opportunities for voters to see competing candidates share a stage.
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Limited participation across districts
The first forum was held April 18 at San Joaquin Delta College and organized by the San Joaquin County Civic Alliance, a coalition focused on civic engagement and voter education.
In the District 5 race, challengers Desiree Lynch, Mary Elizabeth and Ruben Harper attended, while neither Villapudua nor Beas attended.
At an April 23 forum for District 1, also at Delta College, challengers Annette Sanchez, Lan Nguyen, Shelly Hollis and Tamica Small attended. Padilla did not participate.
In District 3, incumbent Michael Blower and challenger Stefanie Alfaro appeared at the April 23 forum, while Toccoli and Veltri were absent.
A second round of forums on May 7, hosted by the Stockton chapter of the NAACP, Faith in the Valley, Victory In Praise Church and Black Women Organized for Political Action, also drew no appearances from the five candidates across the three races.
Criticism over absence and voter access
The pattern of limited participation prompted criticism from opponents and community members, who said voters were deprived of a key opportunity to evaluate candidates side by side.
“It’s disappointing that there aren’t four of us sitting here in front of you,” Blower said at the Delta College forum. “That speaks volumes as to the people that show up and can give the information that you should have.”
Small criticized Padilla’s absence from the forum hosted by the Stockton chapter of the NAACP, Faith in the Valley, Victory in Praise Church and Black Women Organized for Political Action in a Facebook post.
“I was very disappointed the incumbent refused to attend another forum to defend her record,” Small wrote on May 8. “I assure you that when I’m elected there I will bring both accessibility to me as well as transparency to the office.”
After the forums, Lynch also criticized Villapudua’s absence on Facebook.
“Sadly, my incumbent opponent failed to show to another candidates forum,” Lynch wrote on May 9. “What a disservice to voters.”
Candidates cite scheduling, engagement priorities
The Record asked the five candidates who did not attend the forums about their reasons for missing the events, what factors influence their decisions to participate in candidate forums and whether they consider forum attendance an important part of campaigning. The questions also sought their response to voters who rely on forums to compare candidates and whether skipping such events is a deliberate campaign strategy.
Only two candidates, both incumbents, responded to the request for comment by the May 29 deadline.
Padilla said she has remained focused on constituent engagement throughout her campaign.
“Throughout my time in office and during this campaign, I have remained focused on being accessible to the people I represent,” Padilla said. “I regularly host and participate in community meetings, neighborhood forums, and local events throughout District 1, and I am frequently invited to engage directly with residents where they live and work.”
Padilla said her approach to public service is rooted in direct constituent contact.
“My philosophy is simple: my bosses are the constituents of District 1,” Padilla said. “My priority is spending time with them, listening to their concerns, and working on the issues that impact their daily lives. That is where I was during this campaign, and that is where I will continue to be as their representative.”
Villapudua said his absences were due to previously scheduled official duties and conflicts.
“My absence from some forums was not a matter of choosing not to participate,” Villapudua said. “Like many elected officials, I often book my calendar months in advance for city meetings, community events, district engagements, and other obligations that come with serving residents. In several cases, I had previously scheduled commitments that I was unable to move.”
Villapudua said he believes public forums provide voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates, compare perspectives and ask questions about issues affecting their communities. He emphasized that forums remain important, but attendance depends on availability.
“I believe candidate forums are valuable opportunities for voters and candidates alike,” Villapudua said. “My decision is never based on whether a forum is worthwhile. It is based entirely on whether I am available to attend.”
Villapudua said he does not use skipping forums as a campaign strategy and that he generally welcomes opportunities to speak directly with voters.
“When I was unable to attend, it was because of scheduling conflicts and prior commitments, not because of a desire to avoid public discussion,” Villapudua said. “If anything, missing a forum means missing an opportunity to share my work, listen to concerns, and discuss my vision for District 5. Given the choice, I would always prefer to engage directly with voters whenever possible.”
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Why Stockton City Council candidates were no-shows at 2026 election forums
Reporting by Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record / The Record
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