Only 1 of 3 Indio Incumbents Faces Challenger

Two first-term Indio incumbents and a 14-year veteran were all up for reelection in November, only one faces opposition

INDIO — Elaine Holmes, first elected to the Indio City Council in 2010, is the only one of three incumbents up for reelection in November that has a challenger. She represents District 3, which covers northeast Indio and southeast Indio as well, all the way to Jackson Steet and 48th Avenue.

Holmes, Waymond Fermon in District 2, and Oscar Ortiz in District 4, all up for re-election in November. Fermon and Ortiz, who first burst onto the political scene in 2018 are unopposed. The pair unseated veteran council member Michael Wilson and Troy Strange respectively.

“I’m extremely excited,” Fermon, who is currently serving a one-year rotation as mayor, told Uken Report. “It is an honor and privilege to serve the residents of Indio for another four years. I believe not having an opponent is a testament to my dedication and hard work ethic for our city. Over the last four years, we have met major milestones.”

Ortiz did not return requests for comment.

Holmes, who has owned and operated PJ’s Desert Trophies & Gifts in downtown Indio since 2004, ran unopposed in 2018. This will be her first election since the city moved to districts in 2018. Holmes has served the city as mayor, mayor pro tem and city council member.

“I continue to support small business, existing, and new businesses. I want to make sure that everything we do for our businesses is encouraging and helps them be successful, something I’ve worked on since I’ve been a councilmember and continue to work on,” Holmes said in announcing her reelection bid. “I think our city is doing a good job and we just need to continue focusing on that.”

The city is cleaning up neighborhoods, repaving streets, working with teens in the teen center and looking at new programs, Holmes said.

“We are looking at a relationship with Desert Recreation District,” Holmes said. “Our seniors are equally as important. So, it’s just a wonderful time to be a part of the city, to be able to move it forward, to meet the needs of our residents. And my passion, of course, as you know, is small business.”

Holmes’ challenger, Jonathan Becerra, refused to answer questions from Uken Report.