City elected office
Desert Hot Springs Mayor
Follow the office, current representation, elections, public records, and city context for Desert Hot Springs Mayor.
Review election coverage
Data coverage
- Government
- City of Desert Hot Springs
- Public body
- Desert Hot Springs City Council
- Electoral area
- City of Desert Hot Springs
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Transparent City of Desert Hot Springs outline. The mayor serves the full city.
Office overview
The office at a glance
See what this office does, the government it belongs to, the area it represents, and how voters choose its officeholder.
What this office does
Presides over City Council meetings and represents the city
The Mayor presides over City Council meetings, represents the city in civic and intergovernmental settings, and exercises the powers assigned by local law. Policy authority remains with the City Council as a body.
City of Desert Hot Springs mayor and councilElection process
Elected citywide
Voters throughout the city elect the Mayor in a nonpartisan municipal election.
Open the 2028 Election PageCity of Desert Hot Springs context2020–2024 Census estimates; 2025 population where noted
These citywide figures describe the community served by the municipal government. They do not measure the office or officeholder's performance.
People and households
- Population
- 33,200Latest reviewed Census estimate
- Households
- 11,3792020–2024 estimate
- Median household income
- $52,7612024 inflation-adjusted dollars
Race and ethnicity
- Hispanic or Latino
- 63.6%May be of any race
- White alone, not Hispanic
- 29.5%2020–2024
- Asian alone
- 1.6%2020–2024
- Black alone
- 9.8%2020–2024
Current officeholder
Who currently holds this office?
The official city roster identifies Scott Matas as the current Mayor of Desert Hot Springs.
Current officeholder
Scott Matas
Desert Hot Springs Mayor
- Status
- Current officeholder
- First elected mayor
- Verification pending
- Current service
- Current mayoral term
Operational structure: This is a separately elected, citywide mayoral office rather than an annually rotating council leadership assignment.
Past elections
Election history
Archive statusNot yet published
This section covers completed elections. Current and upcoming contests remain on the Election Page linked from the top of this Office Page. A published past Election Page contains the full candidate list, certified result, campaign-finance coverage, methodology, and source documents.
Archive review
Past election coverage not yet published
No completed election has yet been connected to this Office Page with its reviewed result and source documents. The current or upcoming contest remains available from the primary Election Page action above.
Public records
Records connected to this office
Open the official records used to follow the work, decisions, or disclosures connected to this office.
Council proceedings
Desert Hot Springs City Council meetings and records
Review the city's public meeting, agenda, and council information.
Open official recordElections
Desert Hot Springs municipal election information
Review official municipal election rules, schedules, and candidate information when available.
Open official recordElection calendar
Riverside County annual election calendar
Check the county's official schedule of municipal offices appearing on the ballot.
Open official recordNews and Press Releases
Updates from this office
Read press releases, official updates, and coverage selected by this office. Follow each link to its source.
About independent coverage: These articles were selected by Paper Trail Politics because the office did not provide a usable news archive. They are not official statements, coverage selected by the office, or endorsements by Paper Trail Politics.
Jurisdiction context
Desert Hot Springs extends temporary ban on new data centers
The City Council extended its moratorium while city staff studies potential water, power, noise, and land-use impacts.
Jurisdiction context
Desert Hot Springs blocks new dollar stores while pursuing broader retail growth
City leaders approved restrictions on additional dollar stores as part of a strategy to attract a wider mix of retailers.
Jurisdiction context
Desert Hot Springs Council approves its first pay increase since 2020
The City Council approved new compensation and appointed a mayor pro tem for the year.
Sources
Sources and data coverage
Review the public records used on this page, what Paper Trail Politics has captured, and what remains incomplete.
Current assessmentStrong coverage
This page connects the permanent office to current representation, municipal elections, public records, city context, and reviewed sources.
Assessed August 18, 2026 · Current 2026 recordsComplete succession history, compensation, vacancy rules, all first-election dates, official portraits, and final live-link review remain incomplete unless specifically listed.
Sources used on this page8 source organizations · 11 records
Election calendar
1 record from this source is used on the page.
Official municipal election source
1 record from this source is used on the page.
Official city council source
1 record from this source is used on the page.
U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts and 2024 American Community Survey
1 record from this source is used on the page.
City of Desert Hot Springs
2 records from this source are used on the page.
Riverside County Registrar of Voters
1 record from this source is used on the page.
KESQ News Channel 3
3 records from this source are used on the page.
Jurisdiction context: Desert Hot Springs extends temporary ban on new data centershttps://kesq.com/news/2026/07/07/desert-hot-springs-considers-extending-temporary-ban-on-new-data-centers/Jurisdiction context: Desert Hot Springs blocks new dollar stores while pursuing broader retail growthhttps://kesq.com/news/2026/05/26/new-dollar-stores-blocked-as-desert-hot-springs-pursues-broader-retail-growth/Jurisdiction context: Desert Hot Springs Council approves its first pay increase since 2020https://kesq.com/news/2026/01/20/desert-hot-springs-council-approves-first-pay-raise-since-2020-appoints-new-mayor-pro-tem/
Riverside County map data
1 record from this source is used on the page.
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