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If you’re among the many last-minute voters looking for information on local races before the polls close, we’ve rounded up our coverage of key contests in southern San Mateo County.
Voters have until 8 p.m. June 2 to cast their ballots in the primary election.
All vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked today and received by the elections office within seven days. In-person voters at the county’s 49 vote centers must be in line by 8 p.m.
Among the races of local importance is the first competitive judgeship contest since 2014. Read on for info on a local school bond measure and competitive county races.
Judge of the Superior Court, Office No. 4
Voters will have a chance to decide the next San Mateo County Superior Court judge in a rare competitive race. Judges are typically appointed by the governor and often reelected in uncontested races, but the retirement of Judge Susan Greenberg has created an open seat.
Two prosecutors with more than 20 years of experience in their respective counties are seeking the judgeship: Santa Clara County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jay Boyarsky and longtime San Mateo County Deputy District Attorney Brian Donnellan.
Boyarsky said he should be elected because of his work ethic, legal knowledge and empathy. Donnellan said his legal career is grounded in fairness, hard work and respect for the rule of law.
Donnellan is an Iraq War veteran and has been endorsed by every current San Mateo County judge and deputy district attorney, as well as unions representing officers and sergeants in 15 police agencies.
Boyarsky ran unsuccessfully for judge in Santa Clara County in 2008 and 2022. He is endorsed by Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo and state Sen. Josh Becker, as well as the National Asian Pacific Islander Prosecutors Association and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.
Read more about the candidates and what a judge does here.
San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools
Following the retirement of Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee earlier this year, two candidates are seeking to replace the late longtime educator.
The superintendent oversees the San Mateo County Office of Education and supports 23 school districts. The role includes reviewing district budgets and monitoring compliance with state and federal laws.
Héctor Camacho, executive director of equity, social justice and inclusion at the San Mateo County Office of Education, and Chelsea Bonini, a county Board of Education trustee, are vying for the position. Both have experience working with the County Office of Education and backgrounds in teaching.
Bonini has more than a decade of leadership experience, including service on the Office of Education’s Personnel Commission and as a trustee on the San Mateo-Foster City School Board. She began her career in 1994 as a kindergarten teacher in the South San Francisco Unified School District.
Her campaign focuses on improving reading accessibility, expanding mental health resources and increasing fiscal transparency across the county’s schools.
Camacho’s campaign prioritizes foundational learning skills, high-quality instruction and student and family well-being. He also aims to invest in educators by creating pathways for school staff to earn degrees and teaching credentials.
Read more about the candidates here and their campaign finances here. The top vote-getter will be elected without going to the November general election.
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Incumbent Ray Mueller is seeking a second term representing Atherton, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, San Carlos, parts of Belmont and much of the Coastside, including Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and unincorporated communities.
His challenger is farmworker advocate and former Half Moon Bay councilmember Joaquín Jimenez, who says he wants to better represent the county’s agricultural workers.
Mueller said his first-term priorities included public safety. He helped launch a unit focused on investigating human trafficking and protecting victims, co-sponsored the creation of the county’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement to address wage theft and unsafe working conditions, pushed for the closure of a controversial West Menlo Park smoke shop and supported a county ban on kratom commonly known as “gas station heroin.”
Jimenez said his priorities include economic mobility, public safety, affordable housing and environmental justice. He wants the county to do more to support its shrinking agricultural industry and to increase the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s presence at community events.
Amid ongoing county budget challenges, Jimenez said he would prioritize financially sustainable programs. He would consider a temporary tax to preserve services threatened by state funding cuts, but only after exhausting other cost-saving measures.
Mueller was one of two supervisors who did not support studying a sales tax increase, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Read more about the candidates here. With only two candidates, the top vote-getter will win the seat.
Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Two candidates are running for San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer, a countywide role overseeing elections, public records and property assessments.
Jim Irizarry, the office’s second-in-command for over a decade, is running against county Supervisor David Canepa. Mark Church, who’s overseen the combined offices since 2011, is not seeking reelection.
Canepa said he would work to reduce backlogs, ensure fair property tax administration and help homeowners, especially seniors, receive eligible exemptions. He also plans to launch a free online portal with access to millions of records dating back to the 1990s and expand multilingual access to county documents.
Irizarry said he is committed to modernizing the office through technological upgrades, including the use of artificial intelligence, while protecting jobs. He also supports modest property tax reforms, housing affordability efforts, safeguarding vote-by-mail systems and improving transparency in property assessments.
The race has drawn controversy, with current and former employees alleging a workplace culture marked by discrimination and fear of retaliation. Irizarry has defended the office’s culture. Read more about it here.
Irizarry is endorsed by Supervisors Jackie Speier, Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller, as well as former U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo and other local leaders.
Canepa is endorsed by the San Mateo County Democratic Party, the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and SEIU Local 521, which represents employees in the office.
Because only two candidates are running, the top vote-getter will be elected without advancing to the general election.
Read more about the candidates here.
Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2
Two Midpeninsula residents are among the six challengers competing for a seat on the state Board of Equalization, an entity some critics argue ought to be disbanded. Incumbent Sally Lieber of Mountain View, a former speaker pro tem of the state Assembly and John Pimentel of Menlo Park, a member of the San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees.
The Board of Equalization, established in 1879, is the nation’s only elected tax commission. It oversees county property tax assessment practices to ensure uniformity across California. Property taxes are a key funding source for local governments and schools.
Lieber, elected in 2022, said the board helps residents navigate California’s complex tax system, which includes multiple agencies. She said she assists constituents with tax questions, connects them to technical resources and works with lawmakers on tax policy.
Pimentel said the state’s tax system should be simplified and is open to eliminating the board and transferring its responsibilities elsewhere.
The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election. Read more about the board and the candidates here.
Measure A: Ravenswood City School District bond
Measure A is a $70 million bond to fund construction of new classrooms, primarily at Costaño School of the Arts, to accommodate an anticipated enrollment increase following the closure of The Primary School in East Palo Alto.
If approved, the measure would levy an estimated $27.50 per $100,000 of assessed value through June 30, 2053. It requires approval from 55% of voters in the Ravenswood district.
The district has completed several recent campus renovations and had already planned construction at Costaño but expanded the project to address the expected enrollment increase.
More information is available at tinyurl.com/rcsd-measure-a.
