City elected office
La Quinta City Council
Follow the office, current representation, elections, public records, and city context for La Quinta City Council.
View the latest election
Data coverage
- Government
- City of La Quinta
- Public body
- La Quinta City Council
- Electoral area
- City of La Quinta
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Transparent City of La Quinta outline. Councilmembers are elected at large.
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
Governs the city through ordinances, budgets, and policy decisions
The City Council adopts local laws, approves the city budget, sets land-use and service policy, and appoints or oversees key city officials as provided by local law.
City of La Quinta City CouncilElection process
Councilmembers are elected at large
Voters throughout La Quinta vote for the available at-large council seats. Terms are staggered, so only part of the council may appear on one ballot.
Open the 2026 Election PageCity of La Quinta 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
- 38,707Latest reviewed Census estimate
- Households
- 15,9622020–2024 estimate
- Median household income
- $99,2502024 inflation-adjusted dollars
Race and ethnicity
- Hispanic or Latino
- 36.6%May be of any race
- White alone, not Hispanic
- 58.9%2020–2024
- Asian alone
- 4.3%2020–2024
- Black alone
- 1.5%2020–2024
Current officeholders
Who currently holds these offices?
The official City of La Quinta roster identifies the current at-large councilmembers. First-election dates remain under source review where not stated by the city.
Mayor Pro Tem
Kathleen Fitzpatrick
- First elected
- Verification pending
- Current service
- Current four-year council term
Councilmember
Deborah McGarrey
- First elected
- Verification pending
- Current service
- Current four-year council term
Councilmember
Steve Sanchez
- First elected
- Verification pending
- Current service
- Current four-year council term
Councilmember
John Peña
- First elected
- Verification pending
- Current service
- Current four-year council term
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
La Quinta City Council meetings and records
Review the city's public meeting, agenda, and council information.
Open official recordElections
La Quinta 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
Residents oppose proposed water slide at historic La Quinta Resort
Neighbors raised concerns about a proposed water slide near homes adjoining the historic resort property.
Jurisdiction context
La Quinta celebrates its 44th birthday with a community event
The city marked 44 years of incorporation with a free Civic Center event tied to a local charitable cause.
Jurisdiction context
Long-delayed SilverRock Resort finds a new owner
A new owner took control of the unfinished SilverRock resort development with plans to move the project ahead.
Sources
Sources and data coverage
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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 page6 source organizations · 12 records
Election calendar
1 record from this source is used on the page.
City of La Quinta City Council
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 La Quinta
5 records from this source are used on the page.
Portrait image for Kathleen Fitzpatrickhttps://www.laquintaca.gov/home/showpublishedimage/11252/638239722837070000Portrait image for Deborah McGarreyhttps://www.laquintaca.gov/home/showpublishedimage/10466/638059375520170000Portrait image for Steve Sanchezhttps://www.laquintaca.gov/home/showpublishedimage/11256/638239722850170000Portrait image for John Peñahttps://www.laquintaca.gov/home/showpublishedimage/11254/638239722843300000La Quinta municipal election informationhttps://www.laquintaca.gov/business/city-council/frequently-asked-questions
KESQ News Channel 3
3 records from this source are used on the page.
Jurisdiction context: Residents oppose proposed water slide at historic La Quinta Resorthttps://kesq.com/news/2026/07/27/residents-near-historic-la-quinta-resort-oppose-plan-to-build-new-water-slide/?minutetv=trueJurisdiction context: La Quinta celebrates its 44th birthday with a community eventhttps://kesq.com/news/cv-questions-answered/2026/04/23/la-quinta-celebrating-citys-44th-birthday-with-a-free-family-friendly-bash/Jurisdiction context: Long-delayed SilverRock Resort finds a new ownerhttps://kesq.com/news/2025/12/16/long-delayed-silverrock-resort-in-la-quinta-finds-new-owner/
Riverside County map data
1 record from this source is used on the page.
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