When Annalisa Perea did not cast a vote for Fresno City Council leadership, it confused those counting the tally.

After City Councilmember Tyler Maxwell nominated Mike Karbassi to serve again as president, and Nelson Esparza as vice president, no one opposed the motion.

What could have been a contentious leadership battle appeared to turn into a nonchalant, one-ballot 7-0 vote.

Or so the public thought.

A review of the video showed Perea walking behind Karbassi at the time of the vote. Standard council procedure requires a definitive communication that a councilmember is not voting “yes.” Otherwise, simply being present in the chamber is counted as consent.

Hours later, before the lunch break, City Attorney Andrew Janz said Perea did not vote in favor of Karbassi and Esparza, but had recused herself. The final vote, he said, was 6-0 with one recusal.

That explanation created more confusion. A recusal typically implies a conflict of interest requiring a councilmember not to vote — or even be present. There would appear to be no logical reason for a recusal in a leadership vote.

Perea avoided questions during the lunch break, exiting the dais in the opposite direction from GV Wire’s reporter.

After the break, Janz issued another correction. Perea had not recused herself, but abstained — which made more sense. The final vote was 6-0, with one abstention.

But why? Neither Perea nor her staff responded to GV Wire’s questions.

Perea, Karbassi Eye 2026 Election Plans

Perea is running for state Assembly in District 31, which represents parts of Fresno County.

Karbassi plans to run for Fresno County supervisor in District 1, which includes northwestern Fresno County. Incumbent Brian Pacheco intends to run for Assembly District 27, which includes parts of Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties. If successful, he will succeed Esmeralda Soria, who is running for state Senate.

The city council changed its leadership vote rules in 2024, with the changes taking effect this year. The main revisions moved away from a rotational system used since 2006 and allowed the council president to serve consecutive terms.

Karbassi became the first Fresno City Council president to serve back-to-back terms since Henry R. Perea — Annalisa Perea’s father — did so in 2001 and 2002.