The latest election night results for Merced City Council races show newcomer Felipe Rojas-Flores leading the District 2 race with 55% of the vote, while District 6 shows a narrow lead for John Bliss, who leads incumbent Fue Xiong by 2%.
At 11 p.m. Tuesday, Rojas-Flores said he would wait for more votes to be counted before accepting an outcome. Earlier in the night, he said the numbers encouraged him.
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” he said after the first round of results were announced at 8 p.m. “I think voters are responding to my specific ideas and my promise to advocate for solutions.”
Incumbent Yang Pao Thao, who did not respond to requests for comment on election night, trailed behind Rojas-Flores, 43.57% to 55.71%.
In District 6, John Bliss is ahead of incumbent Fue Xiong, 43.43% to 41.13%. In that race, Yader Zeledon trailed behind with 15.19%.
“I don’t know what to think, because I lost in 2018 by six votes,” Bliss said during a watch party at Five Ten Bistro after the first results were announced at 8 p.m. “You never know who votes and when they vote, and I don’t know. I knocked on doors until 6 o’clock tonight. So we’ll see how it goes.”
Zeledon said he was waiting for more results before giving up on the race.
“I’m waiting for more ballots to be counted before making any decision about conceding,” he said, thanking his supporters and family. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’ve already won on a personal level just by putting myself out there for the community I love. Regardless of the outcome, I’m proud I took this step and thankful for everyone who stood beside me. Merced is my home, and my commitment to our community will continue, no matter what.”
Xiong did not respond to requests for comments on election night.
The results were last updated at 11 p.m. Tuesday and remain unofficial, with additional ballots still to be counted.
Three of Merced’s six City Council districts were on the ballot this year. Districts 2 and 6 featured contested races, while District 4 Councilmember Shane Smith ran unopposed.
District 2: Southwest Merced
In District 2, incumbent Pao Thao went up against Rojas-Flores, a staff attorney with California Rural Legal Assistance.
Thao was appointed to the City Council in December 2025 after former Councilmember Ronnie De Anda resigned. Tuesday’s election marked Thao’s first attempt to win the seat through a public vote.
District 2 covers much of south and southwest Merced, including the Merced Yosemite Regional Airport, the Wardrobe Avenue industrial area and neighborhoods south of 13th Street.
A marketing director for a local financial services company, Thao grew up in south Merced and previously served on the city’s Planning Commission.
During the campaign, Thao called for improvements to roads, sidewalks, streetlights and parks in southwest Merced. He also emphasized creating more opportunities for young people through workforce training and partnerships with local schools and businesses.
Rojas-Flores focused on public safety, economic development and housing. He called for safer streets, more businesses and jobs in south Merced, and programs to help renters become homeowners.
At a September candidate forum, both candidates raised concerns about infrastructure in southwest Merced, including dark streets, missing sidewalks and dangerous crossings.
They also differed on housing and economic development. Rojas-Flores argued that affordable housing should not be concentrated in south Merced and called for more opportunities for longtime residents to purchase homes. Thao supported housing at different price points and additional resources for lower-income homebuyers.
Rojas-Flores previously entered the District 5 council race in 2024 against incumbent Sarah Boyle but withdrew about a month before Election Day.
District 6: North Merced
The District 6 race featured incumbent Fue Xiong and two challengers: John G. Bliss Jr. and Yader Zeledon.
The district includes Bellevue Ranch, El Redondo Dr./San Augustine Ave., UC Merced and other neighborhoods in north Merced.
Xiong, who was elected in 2022, sought a second four-year term on the council. During his first term, he frequently disagreed with his colleagues on housing, city spending and other issues.
During the campaign, Xiong called for more affordable housing, stronger tenant protections and additional funding for youth employment programs.
At the September candidate forum, he criticized previous council decisions on tenant protections and supported rent stabilization to protect longtime residents from displacement.
Xiong also opposed the idea of developing a large data center in Merced, citing concerns about its potential water and electricity use.
Zeledon, a businessman and real estate agent, campaigned on economic development, job creation and improving city services. He supported faster business permitting, paid apprenticeships and greater transparency over how the city spends money addressing homelessness.
He also emphasized pedestrian safety, calling for improvements to dangerous intersections, sidewalks, crosswalks and street lighting.
Xiong has courted some controversy in recent months. Some in the community were upset by a social media post where he stated “no more taxes for pigs” in reference to Measure B. Others on social media have disagreed with Xiong’s decision not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Bliss, a high school educator, previously ran for the District 6 seat in 2018 and lost to Delray Shelton by just six votes. He returned to the ballot this year in another attempt to represent north Merced.
District 4: Shane Smith runs unopposed
District 4 Councilmember Shane Smith faced no opposition in his bid for a second term.
Smith, an attorney first elected in 2022, was the only candidate to qualify, clearing the way for another four years representing part of northeastern Merced.
Smith has focused on issues involving public safety, infrastructure and city services during his time on the council. He has also been involved in transportation planning and discussions about the city’s future development.
More ballots remain to be counted
Although the first results provided an early picture of the races, the vote count will continue after Election Day.
The Merced County Registrar of Voters will continue processing ballots, including those returned on Election Day and eligible mail-in ballots that arrive afterward.
California allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within seven days after the election.
The results will remain unofficial until the county completes its canvass and certifies the election.
The Merced County Elections website has the latest results.