La Quinta City Council, Mayor Solidified

New and familiar faces comprise the next La Quinta City Council

LA QUINTA — Voters in this community have returned the popular and experienced Linda Evans to helm the City Council as mayor, according to certified results from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.

Evans, first elected mayor in 2014, handily secured a fourth term in the Nov. 8 election. Before becoming mayor, Evans had served as a member of the City Council since June 2009.

She deftly fended off two challengers.

In addition to being mayor, Evans is Chief Strategy Officer of Community Advocacy for Desert Care Network.

With more than half of the eligible voters casting ballots, the results are:

• Linda Evans — 10,456 votes for 72.15%
• Robert F. Sylk — 2,167 votes for 14.95%
• Alan T. Woodruff —1,870 votes for 12.90%

In a Q&A with Uken Report, Evans said, she wants “to continue the progress we have achieved over the past few years, continue the momentum, and address and overcome the challenges that we face as a result of the pandemic and its impact on our community and economy.”

A political veteran and a political newcomer will serve on the newly reconstituted La Quinta City Council. Returning for another four-year term is John Peña. Joining him will be Deborah McGarrey.

Incumbent John Peña, a member of the City Council since 2014, is seeking another four-year term. Peña served as mayor from 1988 to 2002.

McGarrey has been with SoCalGas for 13 years as a public affairs manager, servicing the Morongo Basin, Eastern Riverside County and Imperial County Region. She has been a resident of the Coachella Valley for more than 30 years and made La Quinta her ahome 22 years ago

Peña and McGarrey were the top two vote-getters in a field of five. With nearly 62% of registered voters casting a ballot. Certified results from the Riverside County Registrar’s office show the following:

• John J. Peña — 9,236 votes for 41.93%
• Deborah McGarrey — 6,900 votes for 31.33%
• Joseph “Joe” Johnson — 2,644 votes for 12.00%
• Richard Gray — 1,982 votes for 9.00%
• Brian Hanrahan — 1,265 votes for 5.74%

A ballot measure, Measure A, to ban most short-term home rentals in La Quinta went down in a narrow 212-vote defeat.

Measure A will phase out short-term vacation rentals by the end of 2024 in La Quinta, except in a few exempt areas.