Fernando Ansaldo-Sánchez reconsiders and will run for reelection on the Soledad City Council.

Less than a month after Councilmember Fernando Ansaldo-Sánchez announced he will not seek reelection, he reconsidered and will now seek reelection.

According to Darlene Noriega, executive assistant to the city manager and city clerk, four candidates have filed to run for office as of Aug. 7 at 4pm. Ansaldo-Sánchez and Councilmember Fernando Cabrera, who currently represents District 2, are running for District 1 and mayor, respectively. Both candidates are running unopposed so far. 

Ansaldo-Sánchez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The only contested race is District 2 with two candidates so far: Eugene Ivey, an army veteran who is currently commander at Soledad American Legion Post 32, and Don Bolin.

Candidate filing closed on Aug. 7 for seats with incumbents running for reelection. Since neither incumbent for District 2 and mayor is running for reelection, the period has extended until Aug. 12.

In total, Soledad has three seats up for grabs, including mayor and Districts 1 and 2; this is the first time these districts will be elected under the district-election model.

The council will have a new mayor after Anna Velazquez announced in July she will pause her political career and focus on her job as district director for State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced. (Caballero will term out in December 2026. She did not advance beyond the primary election in her campaign for state treasurer.)