By Petaluma Voice

Updates will be posted as they become available.

In one of the most contentious and controversial elections for Petaluma mayor in decades, incumbent Kevin McDonnell is ahead, taking a significant lead over challengers Shelina Moreda and John Hanania.

McDonnell had almost 58% of the vote, ahead of Moreda with almost 33% and Hanania with 10%, as of 1:48 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4. That's with 31 of 31 precincts reporting, which only represents a portion of the final tally because many mail-in ballots have yet to be counted.

There are 41,291 registered voters in Petaluma and 11,828 votes counted in the race so far. In 2022, with a 66% turnout, 23,850 people voted in the mayoral race. The final count is expected to be higher in this election.

The race was flooded in the final weeks with an influx of outside money from political action committees, in most cases eclipsing what the candidates raised themselves. The campaign was notable for its quarrels over issues such as building heights and development contributions, and a groundswell of online rancor between partisans.

Highlighting the race was an ongoing string of revelations and questionable activities that plagued Moreda from beginning to end, including fabricating her age; a domestic violence temporary restraining order; a dispute over residency qualifications which the city ultimately accepted; questionable campaign finance reports; violations of the city’s campaign sign ordinance; allegations of trying to push Hanania out of the race; refusing media interviews; and kicking reporters out of campaign events she advertised as public.

It was the first known local mayor race where two of three candidates had been subject to restraining orders, although the one against Hanania from 2024 was tossed out in court at its first hearing for lack of merit and evidence.

On the other hand, the 2025 restraining order against Moreda was backed by plenty of evidence, including footage of her allegedly breaking a window at a Lake Tahoe residence where her ex-boyfriend had gone to escape her, preceded by strings of texts flipping from enraged to conciliatory and jokes about driving after drinking. He told the court he feared she would hurt him and she was threatening to damage his reputation online and at work. At a second hearing in December 2025, a judge withdrew the restraining order after attorneys for the two parties reached a settlement that has remained under wraps.

Hanania said Moreda, who initially said she would back him, jumped in the race herself only to push him to drop out and later accuse him of spreading falsehoods about her and stealing campaign signs. A decades-long attendee at city council meetings, Hanania said the temperature of local politics has reached a new low. “People are throwing mud like there’s no tomorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, McDonnell objected to a 21-year-old bankruptcy being raised by opponents. He also addressed a crowd at the Petaluma Speedway (which earlier had to remove a Moreda banner because election advertising is prohibited on city property), and he criticized his hecklers for “barking,” which they took as derogatory. The city is in the process of creating a masterplan for the 55-acre fairgrounds property, which had for decades been rented to the fairground operator for $1 a year including the race track. While the Speedway is a local icon of Americana, its future remains uncertain until the master plan is developed.

The Petaluma City Council is a nonpartisan race. The city’s mayor post is elected city wide, as opposed to council members who since 2022 are elected by the smaller districts they represent. If McDonnell’s lead holds, it means he will serve a second four-year term, and he will steer the ship on its current course, although he is only one of seven votes on the council.

Moreda, who grew up on a dairy farm and has advocated for animal rescue, and is a professional motorcycle racer, has said voices in the community are failing to be heard, according to her campaign site. Like McDonnell, she represents one vote on the council, but said she would save the Speedway and reduce maximum height limitations to protect Petaluma’s character.