Steven Nelsen
CA · Member, Visalia City Council, District 5
Visalia council member first elected in 2010, past chair of the Tulare County Council of Cities, and member of the Mid-Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. He has worked on the city's water reclamation facility, Fire Station 53, and the new civic center.
Where Steven Nelsen stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record)
Opposes
Social Programs and Welfare (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (4 support · 1 oppose), Public Infrastructure (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 4 support · 1 oppose
Voted no on a $45,000 voter survey for a possible city sales tax, calling the tax idea a knee-jerk reaction. The survey failed 2-3.
March 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ourvalleyvoice.com
Cast the only no vote on paying $30,000 for city membership in the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation. It passed 4-1.
March 2, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Voted no on pursuing an aquatic center with a 50-meter pool and a recreation pool and studying funding options. It passed 3-2.
January 20, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Voted no on considering a city donation to a local food aid group during federal SNAP cuts, saying food aid is the federal government's job. It failed 2-3.
November 3, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: ourvalleyvoice.com
Moved to award a $3.04 million contract, plus $849,010 more from the general fund, to fence Riverway Sports Park after vandalism. It passed 4-1.
July 21, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Moved final adoption of an ordinance banning camping in city parks and on city property. It passed 4-1.
August 12, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 oppose
Voted no on considering a city donation to a local food aid group during federal SNAP cuts, saying food aid is the federal government's job. It failed 2-3.
November 3, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: ourvalleyvoice.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted no on pursuing an aquatic center with a 50-meter pool and a recreation pool and studying funding options. It passed 3-2.
January 20, 2026Opposes Public Infrastructure
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Moved to award a $3.04 million contract, plus $849,010 more from the general fund, to fence Riverway Sports Park after vandalism. It passed 4-1.
July 21, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Track record — General
General · 18 records
Moved to cancel the November 2026 District 3 council election and appoint the only candidate instead. It passed 3-2.
August 17, 2026
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Resigned as executive director of Downtown Visalians after nine years leading the group. He had been on paid leave since late March.
April 21, 2026
Source: yahoo.com
Voted no on letting cannabis businesses open in Visalia; that failed 2-3. He then seconded a plan to write rules but allow zero businesses for now, which passed 4-1.
March 3, 2025
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Moved to let a Jack in the Box on South Lovers Lane run its drive-thru 24 hours, overturning a Planning Commission denial. It passed 4-1.
February 3, 2025
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Cast the only no vote on delaying new single-family home design standards to give interested parties more time. He criticized state housing rules. It passed 3-1.
December 16, 2024
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Voted no when the council rejected neighbors' appeals and approved a Sam's Club with a gas station and car wash next to homes. It passed 3-2.
December 3, 2024
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Abstained on a motion to table the special events 'street frontage' change, which failed 2-2. He then moved an amended version, which passed 5-0.
November 18, 2024
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Moved to add a 'street frontage' definition to the special events ordinance, a change Farmers Market vendors opposed. It passed 4-1.
November 4, 2024
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Recused himself from council votes on two downtown business district reports because he was executive director of Downtown Visalians, which manages them.
June 3, 2024
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Moved final adoption of the special events ordinance after waiving attorney-client privilege so the city attorney could state he had no conflict. It passed 3-1.
December 18, 2023
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Voted for the first reading of a special events ordinance while he led Downtown Visalians, which runs several events it covers. He said he had no conflict. It passed 4-0.
December 4, 2023
Source: fresnoland.org
Moved approval of rezoning 15 home parcels so the Visalia Public Cemetery could expand onto them. It passed 4-1.
November 20, 2023
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Moved the first reading of Visalia's farmland preservation ordinance, adding local roads and raising the minimum site size from 5 to 20 acres. It passed 4-0.
May 1, 2023
Source: fresnoland.org
Cast the only no vote on confirming a winter warming center for homeless people on city land at 701 E. Race. He said its operators kept applying late for permits. It passed 4-1.
December 5, 2022
Source: visalia.legistar1.com
Won re-election to the District 5 council seat with about 66% of the vote while serving as mayor.
November 8, 2022
Source: yahoo.com
As mayor, announced the council's unanimous choice of Leslie Caviglia as Visalia's first regularly appointed female city manager.
June 9, 2021
Source: thesungazette.com
Handed the mayor's gavel to Warren Gubler after serving as mayor during the year voters passed Measure N, a half-cent sales tax for public safety.
December 16, 2016
Source: ourvalleyvoice.com
Was chosen mayor of Visalia by his fellow council members. He had been vice mayor.
November 26, 2013
Source: kmph.com
Past race Steven Nelsen ran in:
- Visalia City Council, District 5 · November 3, 2026 · Visalia city, California · incumbent