Election Rerun Plays Out in La Quinta

La Quinta Sets Stage for Election Rerun in November

LA QUINTA — Just when you thought the summer reruns was over, here comes an election rerun in this community that’s led by veteran public servants.

In the first election rerun of the season you have Mayor Linda Evans, who’s held the position since 2014. Robert Sylk, who has challenged Evans in 2020 and 2022, is once again challenging Evans in a threepeat. Before Evans was elected in 2014, Sylk ran for mayor in 2010 and 2012.  He ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2006, 2008, and 2014.

Prior to becoming Mayor, Evans had served as a La Quinta City Council Member since June 2009. In March 2016, she was named “Woman of the Year” for the 42nd Assembly District by Assemblyman Chad Mayes for the State of California. This recognition was granted for the outstanding contributions and service Linda has provided to her community.

According to her city profile, Evans has worked in the healthcare industry for 30 years, spending the last 23 years in hospital administration. She is the Chief Strategy Officer of Community Advocacy for the Desert Care Network, which comprises Desert Regional Medical Center (Palm Springs), JFK Memorial Hospital (Indio), and Hi-Desert Medical Center (Joshua Tree).

Sylk, an Army veteran, businessman and the founder of Concerned Citizens of La Quinta, a community group that meets to discuss local issues.

In addition to the mayor’s seat, there are two other four-year terms open. The seats are currently held by Kathleen Fitzpatrick and Steve Sanchez. In another election rerun, Joe Johnson is vying for one of the seats. Johnson, a former consumer affairs investigator in Los Angeles County. He has made multiple unsuccessful runs at a seat on the City Council in 2016, 2018, 2022 and now in 2024.

Sanchez was elected to the La Quinta City Council in 2016. He relocated to California from New Jersey, after enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, from 1996-2004.  Steve served as an infantryman during Operation Iraqi Freedom and earned distinguished medals and ribbons such as: Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, and many more. Upon the end of his 8-year enlistment in 2004, Sanchez decided to make the Coachella Valley his home.

Councilmember Fitzpatrick moved to La Quinta in 2006. She was elected to the City Council in 2016.

A Massachusetts native, Fitzpatrick moved to California as a teen and attended the University of California, Berkeley receiving a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree. In 2005 Kathleen retired, after a career spanning 33-plus years with the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks. During her career, she became a Project Manager responsible for design and construction of major capital improvements, ultimately promoted to Superintendent of Planning and Development responsible for the oversight of the Department’s multi-million-dollar capital improvement program.