<\/p>\n
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, at a July 27, 2026, news conference at Fresno City Hall, said he would run for a third term in 2028 if voters allow.<\/p>\n
David Taub<\/p>\n
The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer supports changing the city charter so that he and future mayors and councilmembers can serve up to three consecutive terms, or a total of 12 years, answering an oft-asked question lately about Dyer\u2019s political ambition beyond his current term that expires in January 2029.<\/p>\n
Dyer supports a proposed ballot measure spearheaded by Council President Nelson Esparza that would change the city\u2019s charter to make it possible. Fresno mayors and councilmembers are limited to two consecutive terms and are required to sit out a term before running again. Currently, there is no maximum number of total years.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I stand here today, the answer is yes. I would run for a third term as mayor in the city of Fresno … as long as my health holds out. And right now, I feel really healthy, energetic, passionate about the job, and I feel like we\u2019ve got great things ahead of us, and I want to make sure I see it across the finish line,\u201d Dyer said at a Monday news conference at Fresno City Hall about proposed city ballot measures.<\/p>\n
The Fresno City Council has to approve placing the ballot measure extending term limits \u2014 a vote is scheduled Thursday \u2014 and voters would have to approve those term limits at the Nov. 3 election. In addition to the mayor, city councilmembers are also limited to two, four-year terms.<\/p>\n
Voters elected to Dyer as mayor in 2020 and re-elected him in 2024.<\/p>\n
Job comes with \u2018learning curve\u2019<\/p>\n
Dyer said it takes time to build relationships and confidence to operate the city. He said it took him three years to get comfortable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe having frequent turnover in any organization, local government included, is not healthy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Projects take a long time to complete because of city bureaucracy, Dyer said. He cited the Blackstone\/McKinley railroad operation project, airport control tower and housing projects as examples.<\/p>\n
Is extension self-serving?<\/p>\n
Esparza \u2014 who co-introduced the measure and is in his second term — said the proposed rules are not self-serving because he would only be eligible for a maximum of one more term. Under current rules, however, he could sit out a term and then run for two more consecutive terms, and so on. Esparza is running for the Board of Equalization in November.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re banning lifetime politicians here in the city of Fresno. There is no more loophole where folks will come back, recycle in and out,\u201d Esparza said.<\/p>\n
Dyer and three other city councilmembers would benefit by a theoretical third term \u2014 Mike Karbassi, Tyler Maxwell and Brandon Vang. Two others \u2014 Nick Richardson and Annalisa Perea \u2014 are in their first terms. Perea is not running for re-election this year, instead she is running for state Assembly.<\/p>\n
In theory, Richardson could serve two more terms, in 2028 and 2032, under the proposed rules.<\/p>\n
Maxwell said the change would hurt his future.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitically, this affects me negatively on the political level. There had been some speculation from the press that I might be running or have my eye on the mayor\u2019s seat in 2028. Obviously, if Jerry Dyer were to run for a third term, I would support him instead. And would I run for a third term on the city council? That\u2019s not clear yet.,\u201d Maxwell said.<\/p>\n
Karbassi, who is in third term overall and second full term, said the changes won\u2019t affect him. He is running in November for Fresno County Board of Supervisors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be at the county,\u201d Karbassi said.<\/p>\n
Ballot language<\/p>\n
If placed on the ballot by the city council, the measure will read:<\/p>\n
\u201c(a.) During his or her lifetime, a person elected to the office of Councilmember or Mayor may serve up to, but no more than, three successive full terms or a total 12 years in the same office. This limitation applies to terms or years of service to which persons have been elected or appointed after May 1985.<\/p>\n
(b.) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a person elected in a special election to serve the remainder of an unexpired term of Mayor or Councilmember of two years or less may thereafter be elected to three successive full terms in that office. Service in the unexpired term of two years or less shall not count toward the limitations set forth in subsection (a).\u201d<\/p>\n
In theory, Garry Bredefeld would not be allowed to run for city council again. He served three terms total \u2014 1997 to 2001 and 2017 to 2025. He won election to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in 2024, where he currently serves.<\/p>\n
Bredefeld could still run for mayor, but tells The Bee he has no intention to do so.<\/p>\n
This version reflects that Esparza is the main sponsor of the ballot measure proposal, according to the city.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published July 27, 2026 at 12:33 PM.<\/p>\n