Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer sails to re-election, says he’ll keep tackling homelessness, crime, graffiti

With over 81% of the vote on late Tuesday evening, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer has successfully captured a second term for office.

At an election party just after the close of polls Tuesday, Dyer said the strong display of support in early returns from the county clerk “humbles me.”

“In all truthfulness,” he said. “I did not think the numbers would be that high.”

More ballots will be counted in the coming days.

He thanked several attendees at his gathering, including Council President Annalisa Perea, Council Vice President Mike Karbassi, and Councilmember Tyler Maxwell, as well as City Attorney Andrew Janz.

He also thanked his supporters.

“I promise I won’t let them down,” he said. “We’re going to give everything we have to make Fresno a better place to live in the future.”

Dyer also touched on the successes from his tenure that he’s hoping to build on in a second term, including addressing homelessness near freeways, lowering the crime rate this year, and tackling graffiti and blight across the city.

“I’ve never met an elected official that wants to go to a runoff,” he said. “I certainly didn’t, and I’m thankful I don’t have to.”

His low-profile challengers, retired Fresno Unified teacher Jim Barr and county resident Samantha Dussell, failed to gather more than 12% and 5% of the vote respectively.

Dyer, who voters first made mayor of California’s fifth largest city in a spring 2020 primary, formerly served as Fresno’s police chief for 18 years.

He touted his expansion of the city’s police and fire departments in a February interview with Fresnoland regarding his reelection campaign.