Quinto confirms he will run for reelection to El Cerrito City Council, Helion will not run, Steffen takes out papers

Gabe Quinto confirmed on Tuesday, July 14, that he will seek reelection to the El Cerrito City Council, while Courtney Helion, who had set up a campaign committee for the 2026 race, said she will not run. The city website shows Megan Steffen took out papers July 14. [This sentence added July 15.]

Wally Nowinski and Kimberly White have also announced they are running for the two open seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. The second incumbent, Carolyn Wysinger, set up a campaign committee in February but has not confirmed she is running. She was elected to the council in 2022.

Quinto has been on the City Council since 2014 and is president of the League of California Cities.

In a social media post, Nowinski said he works in marketing at a clean energy company and has long been active in Democratic Party politics.

White has served on the city’s Financial Advisory Board since 2022 and runs her own firm advising public sector leaders.

The city clerk has scheduled a drop-in session at the Community Center between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm Wednesday, July 15, to answer questions from people interested in running.

Filing will close Aug. 7, with an extension to Aug. 12 if either incumbent does not run.

The two El Cerrito City Council members elected on Nov. 3 will serve four-year terms. This will be the last election in which El Cerrito selects its council members citywide rather than having the city divided into five districts for elections. Under that system, which begins in 2028, residents can only run for office in their particular district and will only be voted on by people living in that district.

For more information about elections in El Cerrito and the West Contra Costa Unified School District, including links to where financial disclosure forms are posted and where nomination papers will be posted see the El Cerrito Wire elections page