LOS BANOS — Three candidates have signed up to fill the Los Banos City Council vacancy created by Evan Sander’s resignation in January. One will be chosen by the four remaining councilmembers following a special public meeting on March 9 at 6 p.m. at Los Banos City Hall, 520 J St., Los Banos.
Political newcomer Tyler Castillo, former council member Refugio Llamas, and former planning commissioner Elias Reyes have applied for the vacant seat. Sanders was also appointed to the seat in 2025 after voters overwhelmingly recalled Douglas Begonia Jr. in 2024 as part of a purge of the previous council majority. During the special meeting, candidates will have five minutes to introduce themselves and explain their qualifications. Councilmembers will ask each candidate the same six questions:
· What are the most important economic catalysts for Los Banos moving forward?
· How does a strong local business community make Los Banos a better place to live?
· What are your thoughts on creating a sense of community pride in Los Banos?
· Why should you be chosen to represent your district and what do you hope to accomplish as a council representative for your district?
· What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing Los Banos, and how should it be addressed?
· What is the best reason for someone to move to Los Banos?
City Clerk Lucy Mallonee laid out three options – reviewed by City Manager Nirorn Than and city attorney Mary Lerner — for choosing the new councilmember.
The council could conduct a simple vote, with the candidate with the most votes filling the seat.
Or, the council could conduct a ranked-choice vote, with a top-ranked candidate getting three points, a second-place ranking two points and one point for being ranked third. The candidate with the most points would win. The final method would involve two rounds. In the first, each councilmember would select two candidates, with the two top-scoring candidates moving to the second round. In the second round, the council would choose between the two.
Castillo describes his occupation as a journalist who also works as a statistician for the Santa Cruz Warriors. He has lived in Los Banos nine years. “My goal is to make Los Banos the heart of [the] Central Valley,” he wrote in his application. He views gang-related violence and the loss of local businesses as the city’s biggest problems.
Llamas, a retired US Marine and former councilmember, has lived in Los Banos for 33 years. He was appointed to the council in 2020 to fill out the term of Tom Faria, who had been elected Mayor. He served until 2022. “This is our hometown and (I) firmly believe Los Banos has tremendous potential to be a hub and model of economic growth, which will help ensure the funding of city services and provide higher paying jobs to more of our residents,” Llamas wrote in his application. He considers economic development and public safety the most important issues facing the city and would work to bring in large commercial operations to generate sales taxes. “Far too many residents have no other option but to drive several hours a day to other cities in order to provide for their families.” Reyes is a Merced County deputy sheriff who served on the planning commission from 2020 to 2024; he has lived in Los Banos since 1979. “This city trusted me to keep it safe and invested time and money to train me. This is an opportunity for me to give back,” he wrote in his application. Reyes is a retired Sergeant with the Los Banos Police Department. He listed traffic, homelessness, chromium-six (water contamination), and city-to-public communication as the most important issues facing the city. “In me you have someone without his own agenda. I still have a fire in my belly and a willingness to be of service. I want to work with all of you, together we can accomplish great things for our city.”
Edgard Martinez also applied for the seat but was deemed ineligible because he does not live in the district.
The candidate chosen by the council will serve the last eight months of Sanders ’term
and could run to be elected to a four-year term if they run in the Nov. 3 election.
