Priya Bhat-Patel
CA · Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem and City Council Member, District 3
Carlsbad mayor pro tem and council member who chairs the North County Transit District board; public health professional with a doctorate from Loma Linda University. Her priorities include housing costs and public safety.
Where Priya Bhat-Patel stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (7 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (2 records), Housing Affordability (3 records),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 9 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 7 support
Seconded and voted to add support for making polluting companies pay for climate damage to the city's legislative platform. It passed 4-1.
December 9, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to ban smoking inside multi-unit homes. It passed 4-1.
August 20, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to draft a full smoking ban in apartments and their shared outdoor areas. It passed 4-1.
August 22, 2023Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted for a city emergency order requiring face coverings in Carlsbad. It failed 2-2.
July 28, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against reopening city beaches on April 28, 2020, during the COVID-19 emergency. The motion failed 2-2.
April 25, 2020Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted to accept a regional Community Choice Energy study and share legal costs to explore joining. It passed 4-1.
April 16, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted for updating the city's Climate Action Plan once a new emissions inventory came in. It passed 4-1.
February 26, 2019Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 9 oppose
Made the motion to create a police community policing team with six added staff and $684,350. It passed 5-0.
March 24, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to raise City Council members' pay by the regional inflation rate. It passed 4-1. Also did the same on January 14, 2025.
January 13, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to adopt the city's fiscal year 2025-26 budget and capital plan. It passed 5-0.
June 17, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion adopting the city's 2025-26 Homelessness Action Plan funding plan. It passed 4-1.
January 28, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to keep the city's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager job. It failed 2-3.
June 18, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to put a measure raising the Proposition H spending limit on the November 2024 ballot. It passed 3-2.
June 18, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a $315,000 contract with Interfaith Community Services for homeless outreach. It passed 4-1.
June 20, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a $2.2 million forgivable loan to expand the La Posada de Guadalupe homeless shelter. It passed 4-1.
May 16, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against moving $3 million of reserves toward studies for the Village railroad trench. It failed 2-2.
May 24, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion approving a grant for Catholic Charities to provide a clinician at the La Posada homeless shelter. It passed 4-1.
May 24, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 2 support
Made the motion to create a police community policing team with six added staff and $684,350. It passed 5-0.
March 24, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for new e-bike rules, including banning e-bikes in two more city parks. It passed 5-0.
February 10, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 3 support
Voted to approve a 50-unit mixed-use condo project at 840 Carlsbad Village Drive. It passed 4-1.
July 28, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against a resolution backing the Our Neighborhood Voices local-control housing initiative. It failed 2-3.
June 17, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted to declare the city's housing caps, including Proposition E, preempted by state law. It passed 3-2.
April 6, 2021Supports Housing Affordability
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 4 support
Made the motion adopting the city's 2025-26 Homelessness Action Plan funding plan. It passed 4-1.
January 28, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a $315,000 contract with Interfaith Community Services for homeless outreach. It passed 4-1.
June 20, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a $2.2 million forgivable loan to expand the La Posada de Guadalupe homeless shelter. It passed 4-1.
May 16, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion approving a grant for Catholic Charities to provide a clinician at the La Posada homeless shelter. It passed 4-1.
May 24, 2022Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 2 support
Made the motion to fly the Intersectional Pride flag at City Hall each June. It passed 3-2.
June 13, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted to bring back an item on flying the Intersectional Pride flag each June. It passed 3-2.
June 15, 2021Supports Civil Rights
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Made the motion to put a measure raising the Proposition H spending limit on the November 2024 ballot. It passed 3-2.
June 18, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Track record — General
General · 25 records
Voted against a Terramar road plan with resurfacing and no sidewalks on Carlsbad Boulevard. It passed 3-2.
June 9, 2026
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Brought and moved a resolution declaring that bullying has no place in Carlsbad public spaces. It passed 4-1.
April 14, 2026
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against a new council policy on traffic lane reductions. It passed 4-1.
March 10, 2026
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a smaller Terramar coastal road project with no roundabout or lane cuts. It passed 4-1.
October 28, 2025
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against ending most proclamations at council meetings. The motion failed 2-3.
May 13, 2025
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted to keep the city's drive-thru ban instead of allowing requests to lift it. The other option passed 3-2.
April 29, 2025
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to approve water and wastewater rate increases. They passed 4-1.
April 22, 2025
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Was elected chair of the North County Transit District board for 2025, after serving as vice chair since 2022.
January 24, 2025
Source: gonctd.com
Voted against reviewing the city's commuter trip reduction rules to ease them for small businesses. It passed 3-2.
November 12, 2024
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to keep the city's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager job. It failed 2-3.
June 18, 2024
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to have staff bring back a discussion on changing Proposition H, the city's spending limit law. It passed 5-0.
July 18, 2023
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion for a policy allowing commemorative flags at City Hall. It failed on a 3-2 vote.
May 23, 2023
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to remove the opening prayer (invocation) from council meeting agendas. It passed 4-1.
May 16, 2023
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion creating the Carlsbad Community-Police Engagement Commission. It passed 3-1.
December 13, 2022
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to cut a southbound lane on Carlsbad Boulevard and add bike lane upgrades. It passed 3-2.
September 27, 2022
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Voted against the updated Local Coastal Program rules for coastal land use. It passed 3-2.
October 19, 2021
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to award the city's trash and recycling franchise to Republic Services. It passed 3-2.
April 6, 2021
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to make a disputed housing site a low priority in the Housing Element. It passed 3-1.
April 6, 2021
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted to ask staff for information on an independent redistricting commission. It passed 3-2.
March 9, 2021
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted for the Hotel Employee Recall Rights law. It passed 4-1.
December 15, 2020
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to draft an urgency law giving laid-off hotel workers a right to be recalled. It passed 3-1.
November 17, 2020
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted for a resolution backing state resolutions on nuclear weapons (AJR 30 and 33). It passed 3-1.
June 16, 2020
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Made the motion to adopt new rules for special events and free-speech (expressive activity) events in city parks. It passed 3-1.
December 10, 2019
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Seconded and voted to oppose the county's Palomar Airport plan allowing a runway extension of up to 800 feet. It passed 4-1.
June 11, 2019
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Was appointed Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem in her first month on the council. The vote was 3-2.
January 8, 2019
Source: records.carlsbadca.gov
Past race Priya Bhat-Patel ran in:
- Member of the City Council, District No. 3 · November 3, 2026 · Carlsbad city, California · incumbent