John Carli

Background

John Carli has served Vacaville for more than 30 years, beginning as a police officer and rising to chief of police before retiring, according to a 2023 episode description from Visit Vacaville's Destination Vacaville podcast. His November 2026 voter guide statement lists his occupation as Mayor of Vacaville / Retired Vacaville Police Chief. After retiring from the department he ran for mayor and won on November 8, 2022, with 49.02 percent of the vote. Vacaville elects its mayor at large to a four-year term, alongside six council members chosen by district. His term ends in December 2026.

In office

In May 2023 the Solano Pride Center said Carli had refused to recognize Pride Month after meeting with him; the city had issued Pride Month proclamations since 2018. Carli told CBS News Sacramento that he never refused, that he wanted to review the city's flag policy and past proclamations and consult the city attorney first, and that he would issue a proclamation.

In his voter guide statement, Carli says that as mayor he helped lead efforts to bring the biotechnology company Lonza to Vacaville after Genentech announced its departure, and that he fought to secure federal water rights benefiting Vacaville and Dixon for the next 20 years. He says he opposes state efforts to reduce the cities' allocations from Lake Berryessa. In September 2026 Bay City News reported that he and residents denounced NextEra Energy Resources' proposed 300-megawatt Corby battery storage project on farmland outside the city.

When Supervisor John Vasquez, who has represented District 4 since 2002, announced in November 2025 that he would seek a seventh term, Carli endorsed him and said he had no intention of running for the seat. In February 2026 Vasquez ended his campaign for health reasons, said he would serve out his term and endorsed Carli. Carli said he was honored by the endorsement and would work to earn the support of District 4 voters. He also said that the decision by Michael Silva, Vacaville's vice mayor, to run against Vasquez "surprised me and disappointed me."

Carli did not file for re-election as mayor. The county registrar extended the filing period for the office to August 12, 2026, and Councilmembers Sarah Chapman and Roy Stockton are the candidates to succeed him.

John Vasquez, Solano County Supervisor, District 4, ending his own campaign, endorsed Carli as "the right leader to carry this critically important work forward" and said Carli had his full confidence and support (Winters Express, February 19, 2026). Jonathan Cook, executive director of the Solano Pride Center, said Carli repeatedly called recognizing Pride Month divisive, adding "It feels like we're going backwards." Carli said he never refused and would issue a proclamation (CBS News Sacramento, May 30, 2023).

On the ballot

Carli is in the November 3, 2026 runoff for Solano County Supervisor, District 4, which covers Vacaville, Dixon and the northern part of the county. His ballot designation is Mayor, City of Vacaville. His opponent is Michael "Mike" Silva, Professor / Vacaville Councilmember. Certified June 2 results gave Silva 9,798 votes (43.03 percent), Carli 7,894 (34.67 percent) and Juan P. Desmarais 5,080 (22.31 percent). His voter guide statement centers on jobs close to home, public safety, wildfire readiness, homelessness with accountability, agriculture, roads and fiscal discipline. Vasquez and the Solano County Deputy Sheriffs' Association's political action committee endorsed him. Before the primary, the Daily Republic reported that only Silva answered its written questions. The winner takes office in January 2027.