Councilwoman and Former Mayor Elen Asatryan Announces Re-Election Campaign for Glendale City Council

February 23, 2026

Glendale Councilwoman and Former Mayor Elen Asatryan launched her 2026 campaign for reelection to the Glendale City Council this week, announcing that she is officially on the ballot. Asatryan cited unfinished work on affordability, government efficiency, public safety, and equitable access to city services as her top priorities. Elections are June 2, 2026. 

“Loving this city means fighting for it,” Asatryan said in her announcement. “I’m running for reelection because the future of our city depends on the decisions we make right now; a functional government is one that delivers for its people, and we must elect individuals who are willing to do the actual work that makes that a reality.”

Since taking office, Asatryan has focused on closing the gap between what residents and small businesses need and how City Hall delivers services. Her campaign will build on efforts to expand housing, strengthen public safety and safe streets, increase access to parks, arts, and affordability programs, empower women and girls, support small businesses, cut bureaucratic red tape, and improve access to services across Glendale’s diverse communities.

Asatryan pointed to persistent challenges she has heard directly from the community—small businesses waiting months for permits, families squeezed by rising costs, and residents facing barriers to access—as key reasons she is seeking another term.

Advancing Affordability, With More Work Ahead

Over the past three and a half years, Asatryan has prioritized operational efficiency and economic development, advancing reforms to modernize permitting, procurement, and program access. She emphasized that affordability and making city hall work for everyday people and small businesses has guided nearly every major decision of her first term.

In the last 3 years, the city has made significant investments in affordable housing and as both Councilmember now. As Chair of the Glendale Housing Authority, Asatryan has worked to protect residents facing housing insecurity, including middle-income families who often do not qualify for traditional assistance but still struggle with rising rents.

A Prevention-Focused Approach to Public Safety

Asatryan emphasized a community orientated, prevention-first vision for public safety, championing investments in the city’s state-of-the-art RTIC real-time intelligence center, pushing for increased staffing for Glendale’s police department, as well as spearheading safer street design, traffic calming, lighting, and pedestrian protections. During recent emergency events, including last year’s devastating wildfires, she also took unprecedented measures on upping multilingual communication to ensure residents received timely information.

Expanding Access in a Diverse City

As Glendale’s first woman of color, first immigrant woman, and first Armenian woman elected to the City Council, Asatryan brings 26 years of experience as a community organizer who has served as a bridge between residents, businesses, and government. Grounded in this perspective, she has made accessibility and multilingual outreach central to her work, ensuring the City meets its diverse communities where they are.

“We have to communicate better, provide information in multiple languages, and meet communities where they are,” she said. “I am tired of a system where the people who are most in need of services are the ones left behind and of the government continuing to communicate like the government. This is something you hear me fight for every day at city hall.”

Glendale has one of the largest immigrant populations in California, a reality Asatryan said requires continued investment in language access and community outreach.

Record of Community Investment

Before joining the City Council, Elen built a two-decade track record of delivering results at the local, state, and federal levels, expanding access, equity, and civic participation across California and Beyond. Her past work includes registering over 50,000 new voters in Los Angeles County, establishing the Glendale Domestic Violence Task Force and Free Legal Clinic, advancing genocide education in California public schools, and creating impactful fellowship and internship pipelines for young leaders. Building on this foundation of results-driven leadership, during her first term, Asatryan championed:

• Strengthen public safety staffing

• Secure property for what will become the largest park in South Glendale, a promise made to residents for at least 25 years

• Invest in infrastructure and neighborhood improvements

• Support small businesses and entrepreneurs

• Expand cultural and family programming

• Launch the City’s Small Business Summit into a leading regional resource for entrepreneurs

She also advanced initiatives including Women’s Equality Day programming, restoration and expansion of the Women’s Commission, getting Glendale to be the 7th city in CA to sign the CA Equal Pay Pledge, and major community events such as the Southern California Chess Tournament, Vartavar Water Festival, Children’s Day and Tsaghkazard Festival, a citywide wine festival, and so much more.

Campaign Powered “Block-by-Block”

Despite facing personal attacks and threats during her tenure, Asatryan said community support has strengthened her resolve to continue serving.

“The hate, vitriol, and disinformation campaigns by a small but loud group have never discouraged me,” Asatryan said. “They’ve only emboldened my resolve to ensure that Glendale is a welcoming home, filled with love and acceptance for all.”

Asatryan said her campaign will focus on working families, small businesses, immigrants, and residents from all walks of life who may not have the time or resources to navigate City Hall. Her campaign plans a grassroots, neighborhood-focused effort.

“I plan to run this campaign block-by-block, powered by people,” Asatryan said.

Residents can learn more, volunteer, contribute, sign up go host a meet and greet at www.electelen.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook @elenasatryan  and X @elen_ asatryan

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