Inglewood voters will choose a mayor from a field of six candidates in the Nov. 3 election.
Mayor James Butts is running for reelection to a fifth term in office but faces challenges from Councilmember Gloria Gray, attorney Fre’Drisha “Sha” Dixon, community worker Raina Carrillo, IT director Arturo Martinez and small business owner Joe Soto.
Inglewood’s mayor is the city’s chief executive and presides over City Council meetings, though the office shares equal voting power with council members.
The LA Local asked all six candidates to fill out questionnaires for this guide.
James Butts
About the candidate: Mayor James T. Butts, Jr. has dedicated more than five decades to public service. He has developed a reputation for disciplined leadership, operational excellence, and effective management of complex public institutions.
Mayor Butts led one of California’s most significant transformations. Under his leadership, Inglewood restored its fiscal stability, attracted billions in investment, and emerged as a global destination for sports, entertainment, and business through landmark developments including, SoFi Stadium. Mayor Butts has remained steadfast on improving quality of life for residents through investments in public safety, infrastructure, housing, and transportation, leaving a legacy of opportunity for the residents of Inglewood.
The city has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the stadiums and new developments. What would you do to ensure longtime residents can afford to live and thrive in Inglewood?
Inglewood’s transformation has created tremendous opportunities for our future, including unprecedented property tax growth for our homeowners. My commitment to Inglewood is to make sure residents benefit from the very progress they helped make possible.
I will continue to pursue policies that expand affordable housing, protect existing residents, and create good-paying jobs for our residents who have made our Inglewood renaissance possible.
I’m proud to have led and passed Inglewood’s first rent control laws which protects existing renters from harassment and displacement. I will keep fighting to ensure renters have a voice at City Hall. It is the strictest Rent Control measure (3% Cap) in California. My Administration will use new development to generate real benefits for our residents, from local hiring and workforce training to investments in our neighborhood parks, streets, small businesses, and public safety.
I’ll work hard to continue strengthening our partnerships with employers, unions, and schools so Inglewood’s residents get real access to the careers being created right here in Inglewood. My goal is to make sure the families who have called Inglewood home for generations can afford to stay, build a future and thrive in Inglewood.
What concrete steps would you take to ensure Inglewood locals know what’s going on in city government and have an opportunity to make their voices heard?
Our residents deserve a city government that is accessible and transparent, every day of the year. We should keep bringing the people into City Hall, and I’ll keep showing up for you in our community.
After 15 years of leading Inglewood through extraordinary change, I know that the best decisions are made when we listen to the people we represent. The next chapter of the Inglewood Renaissance should be built with residents, not simply for them. Every resident should know what their government is doing, why it is doing it and how they can have a voice.
And outside of City Hall, come find me at one of our local businesses or say hello on Game Day. It’s always a great day to be in Inglewood.
How would you tackle the ongoing issue of parking and traffic during big events in the city?
As Inglewood has become home to some of the biggest sports and entertainment events in the world, we have a responsibility to make sure it works for residents, especially on event days, when our community gets visitors from all over the world.
We should make it easy for people to get in, but keep it easy for Inglewood residents to move around. That’s why I’ve secured millions of dollars in funding for the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC). The ITC will improve mobility, support residents and businesses, and build a more connected Inglewood. This mobility plan will bring much needed resources for event days, upgraded traffic signals, and upgrades to streets in Inglewood all while strengthening the economic health of our city.
These investments are designed to give residents and visitors more ways to get around without adding more cars to our neighborhood streets. We will continue working with Metro, event venues and transportation partners to improve traffic management and expand transit options.
Additionally, the ITC will revitalize Market Street, secure countless good paying jobs to local residents, and improve our air quality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in and around Inglewood. I’m proud to deliver this transformative plan for Inglewood.
If you win, what else will you promise people in the community?
I promise to keep fighting for Inglewood.
Over the past 15 years, we have transformed Inglewood from a city with enormous potential into a nationally recognized destination for sports, entertainment, business and investment. But I believe the best chapter of the Inglewood Renaissance is still ahead of us.
I will continue fighting for safer neighborhoods, stronger city services, economic opportunity, good-paying jobs, affordable housing and investments in every part of our community. I will work to make sure Inglewood residents are first in line for the opportunities our growth creates — and that our neighborhoods remain places where families can build their futures.
Most importantly, I promise to keep showing up and doing the work. We have never been afraid to think big, and we should not start now.
Learn more: Website | Instagram
Raina Carrillo
About the candidate: Raina Carrillo is a proud, lifelong Inglewood resident, community leader, wife, and mother of five who has dedicated 27 years to serving the people of Inglewood. Born and raised here, she attended Worthington Elementary, Monroe Middle School, and Morningside High School. She works now at Inglewood United, where she continues the same commitment to youth and community that began decades ago. A woman of faith, resilience, and purpose, Raina believes leadership means giving people a voice not making decisions for them. Now, she is following her calling to run for Mayor of Inglewood, determined to bring transparency, unity, opportunity, and the voice of everyday residents back to City Hall.
The city has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the stadiums and new developments. What would you do to ensure longtime residents can afford to live and thrive in Inglewood?
Inglewood’s growth should benefit the people who built this community not push them out. As a resident and 27-year community leader, I will fight for affordable and workforce housing, homeownership opportunities, good-paying jobs, and protections against displacement.
I will support our local businesses so they can grow alongside our city, not be pushed aside by development. Most importantly, residents must have a voice in decisions affecting their neighborhoods, homes, and quality of life. Inglewood can grow without losing its soul. Our future must include the people who call Inglewood home.
What concrete steps would you take to ensure Inglewood locals know what’s going on in city government and have an opportunity to make their voices heard?
As Mayor, I would make City Hall more accessible, transparent, and accountable to the people of Inglewood. I would hold regular community town halls in every district, with evening meetings so working families can participate. I would expand bilingual communication, including Spanish translation, so residents can fully understand what is happening in their city. I would create a “Residents’ Voice” platform where people can receive updates on major developments, proposed policies, contracts, and community meetings and easily provide feedback.
Before major decisions affecting neighborhoods, housing, traffic, businesses, or quality of life, I would make sure residents have an opportunity to be heard before not after the decision is made. I believe government works best when it works with the people, not just for the people. My commitment is simple: No more decisions about Inglewood residents without Inglewood residents at the table.
How would you tackle the ongoing issue of parking and traffic during big events in the city?
As Mayor, I would put Inglewood residents first when it comes to event traffic and parking. Major events should not mean residents lose access to their own neighborhoods. I would work with residents, event venues, and law enforcement to create a comprehensive traffic plan with better traffic flow, clear signage, protected residential parking, and designated event parking away from neighborhood streets.
Residents should receive advance notice of major event impacts and have an easy way to report parking and traffic problems. Our stadiums can bring jobs and economic opportunity without sacrificing the quality of life of the people who call Inglewood home.
If you win, what else will you promise people in the community?
I don’t believe in making promises just to win votes. I believe in making commitments I can stand behind and the one commitment I will make to the people of Inglewood is this: I will put Inglewood residents first. For 27 years, I have served this community, long before I ever ran for Mayor. I know the people, the neighborhoods, and the challenges because I have lived them.
As Mayor, I will fight for affordable housing, safer neighborhoods, thriving local businesses, opportunities for our youth, and a stronger quality of life for longtime residents. I will listen to the community before major decisions are made and demand transparency from City Hall. I will not forget where I came from or who I represent.
Learn more: Facebook | Instagram
Fre’Drisha “Sha” Dixon
About the candidate: Fre’Drisha “Sha” Dixon, Esq. is a mother, business owner, attorney, community organizer, and advocate. She is the founder and Managing Attorney of Dixon Law Partners and has spent more than a decade organizing around education, public safety, civil rights, government and police transparency and accountability, and economic justice. Dixon founded and leads the Inglewood Coalition for Educational Equity, @StopIUSDSchoolClosures. She earned her Juris Doctor from Trinity Law School and is a 2022 Law for Black Lives Legal Fellow who also completed its 2026 Summer School Intensive. She practices criminal, family, civil, probate, and contract law in California State and Federal Courts.
The city has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the stadiums and new developments. What would you do to ensure longtime residents can afford to live and thrive in Inglewood?
Development should improve the lives of the people who already live here, not price them out.
As Mayor, I’ll prioritize housing stability, homeownership, small business growth, and economic opportunity. I’ve created new revenue streams for the City and will use a portion of those proceeds to provide Inglewood homeowners a yearly check to help offset rising property taxes.
I’ll require new developments to contribute to a City founded community land trust that creates a pathway to homeownership for Inglewood residents. Development must also deliver local hiring, apprenticeships, infrastructure improvements, and support for youth programming.
I’ll create a Small Business Hub to empower entrepreneurs through training, assistance accessing grants and loans, legal compliance guidance, resources, and a place to obtain permits.
I’ll revitalize Market Street and pursue legal avenues to address property owners who allow buildings to remain vacant, creating public safety issues and public nuisances. I’ll also launch the Inglewood Walk of Champions, modeled after Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, featuring gold medals honoring legendary professional athletes. It will attract tourists downtown to find their favorite athletes and while there, they’ll patronize Inglewood businesses.
Growth is not progress unless longtime residents can remain, thrive, and share in our prosperity.
What concrete steps would you take to ensure Inglewood locals know what’s going on in city government and have an opportunity to make their voices heard?
Government transparency shouldn’t depend on residents having the time, technology, or expertise to hunt for information.
As Mayor, I’ll update and modernize our City website, adding an information bulletin that provides timely updates on information, resources, programs, opportunities, meetings, and decisions important to our community. I’ll also add an informational tab explaining how to read City Council agendas and the roles and responsibilities of each City department listed. I’ll use City owned billboards, email, text, and social media, while deploying a street team door to door and into senior communities to reach residents who aren’t online.
I’ll require strict compliance with California public records laws and timely responses to requests for government records. I’ll also provide timely and transparent information regarding police officer misconduct, shootings, and killings, consistent with applicable law.
I’ll move Council meetings to 6 p.m., extend public comment to two minutes, and allow residents to finish expressing their concerns without being cut off. Every agenda item will be addressed and discussed individually instead of grouping items together and rushing through the agenda.
Every public City meeting will be accessible to Spanish speakers and hearing impaired residents through translation and sign language interpretation services.
How would you tackle the ongoing issue of parking and traffic during big events in the city?
As Mayor, I’ll implement a new event traffic plan that gives event goers one designated route out of the stadium area and directs them straight to the interstate, reducing traffic through residential neighborhoods. I’ll protect communities such as the neighborhood between West Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard, from 85th Street to 74th Street, by blocking West Boulevard at Manchester during major events so stadium traffic cannot cut through those streets.
I’ll implement speed bumps where needed to discourage speeding and strengthen residential parking protections by utilizing parking enforcement to ticket venue patrons who park in our neighborhoods. I’ll also ensure clear signage, traffic routing, and advance notice of street closures and traffic changes.
I’ll coordinate the City, venues, law enforcement, public transportation, rideshare companies, and surrounding jurisdictions, while expanding remote parking, shuttles, and public transportation options.
I’ll also require an inconvenience fee to be paid to residents living within a designated radius of the stadiums who are most directly impacted by traffic, parking, noise, and disruption during high traffic events.
The cost of managing stadium traffic and compensating impacted residents should not fall on Inglewood families. Major venues and event operators should bear responsibility for mitigating the impacts their events create.
If you win, what else will you promise people in the community?
I promise that the people of Inglewood will have a Mayor who remembers who City Hall belongs to.
My path to this office didn’t begin with politics. It began with organizing. I’ve spent more than a decade standing with families, challenging systems, organizing communities, and demanding accountability when doing so wasn’t easy or popular. I later became an attorney because I wanted another tool to advocate for people and understand the systems we’re fighting to change.
I’m here to serve the people of Inglewood. I’ll fight for responsible spending, accountable policing, housing stability, government transparency, and an Inglewood Unified School District that returns to strong local control and gives our children the education they deserve.
I’ll empower our small businesses and entrepreneurs by helping them access resources, funding, opportunities, and the support they need to grow and succeed.
I’ll also have an open door policy. Residents will be able to bring their concerns directly to me, and they’ll have a Mayor who listens, responds, explains decisions, and remains accountable to the people.
I’m not running simply to become Mayor. I’m running to improve the quality of life for residents and set the example for what a good public servant looks like.
Learn more: Website | Instagram
Gloria Gray
About the candidate: Gloria D. Gray is the Inglewood Councilwoman, District 1, a longtime community leader and retired Los Angeles County healthcare administrator with state, regional, local and international leadership experience. She has extensive experience managing large budgets, public resources and major infrastructure projects while bringing diverse stakeholders together to address complex challenges. Gray served as Chair of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, a 98-year-old regional agency with a 38-member Board of Directors, becoming the first African American to lead the Board. She served on the Inglewood Unified School District Board and West Basin Board and was the first woman appointed to California’s Delta Stewardship Council. She champions transparency, accountability, accessibility and community engagement.
The city has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the stadiums and new developments. What would you do to ensure longtime residents can afford to live and thrive in Inglewood?
Inglewood’s growth must benefit the people who have called this city home—not simply make it more expensive to live here. As mayor, I would make affordability and economic opportunity central to development decisions.
I would work to preserve and create affordable housing for renters and homeowners, including working families, seniors and young people. We need to protect longtime families and renters from displacement, preserve existing affordable units, and protect local businesses from being priced out as our city grows. I would support responsible development that includes affordable housing and pursue partnerships with the county, state and private sector to bring additional housing resources to Inglewood.
I would also make local hiring and small-business opportunities a priority. Major developments should create pathways to good-paying jobs for Inglewood residents and opportunities for local businesses to participate in our economic growth.
Growth must also be matched with infrastructure, transportation and community services that keep pace with development.
My goal is simple: Inglewood should remain a city where longtime residents and businesses can afford to stay, families can build their futures, seniors can remain in their communities, and local businesses can thrive.
What concrete steps would you take to ensure Inglewood locals know what’s going on in city government and have an opportunity to make their voices heard?
Residents deserve a City Hall that is accessible, transparent and accountable—and that means creating real opportunities for people to participate.
As mayor, I would advocate for expanding City Council meeting times to include evening meetings, and adding evening sessions when appropriate. Working residents, parents, caregivers and others should not have to choose between their jobs and participating in their local government. Government should be accessible to the people it serves.
I would also advocate for allowing adequate time for meaningful discussion of agenda items before decisions are made. Residents should have an opportunity to understand what is being proposed, hear the issues being discussed, ask questions and provide informed public comment. Important decisions should not be rushed through meetings with limited discussion.
I initiated town hall meetings in District 1 to bring City staff directly into the community and give residents an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns. As mayor, I would expand that approach citywide.
Public participation should be meaningful, not simply a box to check. Residents deserve to be heard, informed and included in the decisions that affect their lives and their neighborhoods.
How would you tackle the ongoing issue of parking and traffic during big events in the city?
Inglewood cannot continue to treat event-day traffic and parking as isolated problems. We need a comprehensive transportation-management strategy that coordinates the city, event venues, law enforcement, transportation agencies, residents and businesses.
As mayor, I would require stronger event-specific traffic plans that identify neighborhood impacts before major events occur and establish clear strategies for traffic flow, residential access, parking and pedestrian safety.
We should use technology more effectively, including real-time traffic information, dynamic signage and data-driven traffic management. We also need better coordination of traffic officers and enforcement so that residents can get in and out of their neighborhoods safely.
Parking policies should protect residents from being displaced from their own neighborhoods while ensuring that event-related parking does not create unfair burdens for surrounding communities.
Finally, we must make better use of public transportation and other alternatives to driving. Inglewood is now home to major sports and entertainment venues, and our transportation system must reflect that reality.
Residents should not have to choose between living in Inglewood and being able to get home on event days.
If you win, what else will you promise people in the community?
I promise to lead with transparency, accountability and accessibility—and to make City Hall work for the people who live here.
I will prioritize economic opportunity for Inglewood residents, support local and small businesses, address traffic and parking, protect our neighborhoods, and work to make housing more attainable for longtime residents, renters and working families.
Public safety will remain a priority. I support community policing and believe our police officers deserve the resources, training and support needed to serve our community safely and effectively. As well, I support appropriate body-cameras and policies with clear expectations for activation, use, storage and access to footage, while protecting privacy and due process. Body cameras should protect both residents and officers, promote accountability and strengthen community trust.
I will bring my local, regional and state leadership experience to City Hall, build partnerships, bring people together and deliver results.
My commitment is to make Inglewood’s next chapter about the people who live here, work here, raise families here and call this city home.
Learn more: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Arturo Martinez
About the candidate: I am a lifelong Inglewood resident, homeowner, husband, and father of two. As a first-generation American whose grandfather came to the United States through the Bracero Program, I understand the value of opportunity and hard work. I graduated from Inglewood High School and California State University, Long Beach, and have spent more than 25 years leading technology and operations teams. Approximately 95% of my campaign is self-funded. I am running for Mayor of Inglewood on November 3, 2026, under the banner For Inglewood By Inglewood, focused on reducing waste, increasing government transparency, ensuring major venues pay their fair share, and helping longtime residents remain in the city they call home.
The city has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the stadiums and new developments. What would you do to ensure longtime residents can afford to live and thrive in Inglewood?
Keep the venues. Change who benefits.
Inglewood has a large renter population, and displacement accelerates when longtime landlords sell their properties. As mayor, I would provide tax incentives for homeowners to build ADUs, offer incentives and rebates to landlords who retain their properties and keep existing residents housed, and fast-track permits for ADUs and residential housing projects.
I would also support tax-relief programs and estate-planning workshops so families can pass homes to the next generation instead of being forced to sell after the loss of a loved one.
At the same time, I would reduce government waste and reopen insider contracts to competitive bidding so residents are not burdened with rising fees to support City Hall’s spending habits. Major venues and the entertainment district must contribute fairly to traffic management, public safety, and infrastructure improvements.
Growth that pushes out the families who sustained Inglewood through difficult decades is not a renaissance. It is a transfer. My goal is simple: more housing, same neighbors.
What concrete steps would you take to ensure Inglewood locals know what’s going on in city government and have an opportunity to make their voices heard?
I would move regular City Council meetings to evening hours so working residents do not have to choose between participating in local government and earning a paycheck.
Every major contract, change order, and bid proposal should be published online through a public transparency portal. I would eliminate automatic contract renewals that reduce accountability and require competitive bidding whenever appropriate. I would also order an independent audit of the city’s finances and make the results publicly available.
In addition, residents should not need a lawyer or public records request to understand how taxpayer dollars are being spent. If the public cannot see the contracts and cannot attend the meetings, then the public is not truly governing.
How would you tackle the ongoing issue of parking and traffic during big events in the city?
First, I would ensure existing parking, traffic, and quality-of-life laws are consistently enforced on event days. Residents should not be left sitting in gridlock while violations go unchecked.
I would require major venues to share in the cost of traffic management, sanitation services, and public safety rather than shifting those expenses onto local taxpayers. I would also explore opportunities for the city to generate revenue by utilizing available municipal parking during major events.
Longer term, I would pursue innovative transportation solutions, including discussions with The Boring Company about an underground transit system similar to the one operating in Las Vegas. Moving event traffic underground would reduce congestion in residential neighborhoods and improve quality of life for residents.
Partnerships with stadium operators should be mutually beneficial to both the city and the venues. Residents deserve to see tangible benefits from the entertainment economy that surrounds them.
If you win, what else will you promise people in the community?
I will enforce anti-nepotism policies, conduct a comprehensive review of city staffing practices, and ensure City Hall serves residents rather than special interests. Public service should be about delivering results, not rewarding friends.
I will seek new leadership within the Police Department and work toward full body-camera deployment so residents and visitors alike can have confidence in transparent, accountable policing.
I will also dedicate a portion of the mayoral salary to support Inglewood Unified School District programs and student opportunities.
Most importantly, I am not a career politician. I chose to stay in this community when I had opportunities to leave. I have raised my family here, built my career here, and invested in this city because I believe in its future. I will fight to reduce waste, open the books, increase transparency, and ensure the families who built Inglewood have the opportunity to enjoy its success rather than be priced out of it.
Learn more: Website | Instagram | X
Joe Soto
Soto did not respond to an inquiry from The LA Local.
