City of Coachella Residents to Elect New Mayor from Field of 4
COACHELLA — For the first time in more than 20 years, registered voters in this hardscrabble community have the opportunity to elect a new mayor. Steven A. Hernandez held that coveted seat from since January 2006 until March 24, 2026, when he resigned after pleading guilty to one felony count of conflict of interest.
After Hernandez resigned earlier this year, the City Council appointed Frank Figueroa as mayor to complete Hernandez’s term unexpired ter. Coachella elects its mayor every two years.
Mayoral candidates, in alphabetical order, are:
- Denise Delgado, an educator first elected to the Coachella City Council in 2020 whose current term expires in 2028, is one of two council members being targeted by the attempted recall, which she has criticized as a power grab. She continually gives lip service to open government and transparency, but she has never explained her vote on the controversial data center.
- Frank Figueroa, an academic resources manager at UC Riverside who was first elected to the council in 2022, was appointed by the council to the mayoral position earlier this year after Hernandez resigned. He is now vying for a full term as mayor.
- Jesus Ahkin Gonzalez, the former leader of an attempt to recall Delgado and Councilmember Yadira Perez, has worked as a political consultant, including for Hernandez, and is the son of former Coachella Mayor Jesus Gonzalez.
- Francisco Molina, a community activist whose background spans construction, business strategy and consumer research, has also joined the field of mayoral candidates.
Uken Report posed a series of identical questions to each candidate at the same time with identical deadlines.
All but one responded. We will toll the Q&As with each candidate this week. Stay tuned. You’re not going to miss the responses.
First up today is Frank Fiyeroa since Delgado blew off the request for participation.
