SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, today announced the endorsement of 52 candidates running in local elections across the state for positions on school boards, county commissions, city councils, and local control boards. Of the 52 endorsed candidates, 45 are members of the LGBTQ+ community; the remaining seven are pro-equality allies running for school board seats where there is a lack of LGBTQ+ allyship.
“The local level is where decisions with the greatest impact on voters’ lives occur,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “That’s why Equality California is all in to increase LGBTQ+ representation in halls of power across the state, as well as shore up pro-equality support in places where it may currently be lacking. The repeated failures of the current administration have generated the energy for change in voters, and we are confident our slate of candidates will find success this November.”
Local Offices:
Mayor, City of Tracy: Dan Arriola Mayor, City of Coachella: Frank Figueroa Mayor, City of Monterey: Tyller Williamson Mayor, City of Vista: Kenneth Zuniga Redwood City Council, District 2: Chris Sturken Santa Paula City Council, At-Large: Pedro Chavez Monterey Park City Council, At-Large: Thomas Wong Burbank City Council, At-Large: Nikki Perez San Ramon City Council, District 4: Marisol Rubio Corte Madera Town Council, At-Large: Eli Beckman Berkeley City Council, District 7: Aidan Hill Cathedral City, District 5: Antonio Baciu Daly City Council, At-Large: Atanacio “Tony” Bayudan South San Francisco City Council, District 1: Aysha Pamukcu San Bernardino City Council, Ward 2: Christian Shaughnessy Garden Grove City Council, At-Large: Hieu Nguyen Montebello City Council, District 5: James Santana El Segundo City Council, At-Large: John Pickhaver Palm Desert City Council, District 4: Jonathon Polly Fullerton City Council, District 5: Jozef Maldonado Ventura City Council, District 7: Karba Eckley El Cajon City Council, District 1: Patrick Grillot Concord City Council, District 3: Robyn Kuslits Eureka City Council, Ward 1: Victor Garcia West Hollywood City Council, At-Large: Helen Krieger West Hollywood City Council, At-Large: Jonathan Cottrell West Hollywood City Council, At-Large: Kyle Brazeal Vallejo City Council, District 5: Tara Beasley-Stansberry Fallbrook Fire Protection District, Division 2: Gerald “Gerry” Hoffman Desert Healthcare District and Foundation Board, Zone 1: David “Jax” Kelly Helix Water District, Division 4: Liliana Soriano Garista Santa Ana Unified School District Trustee, Area 5: Hector Bustos Culver City Unified School District, At-Large: Stephanie Loredo El Monte Union High School District, Area 4: Florencio Briones San Francisco Community College Board Trustee, At-Large: Elijah Ball San Francisco Community College Board Trustee, At-Large: Erwin Tam San Francisco Community College Board Trustee, At-Large: Monroe Lace San Mateo County Board of Education, Area 2: Dana Johnson San Francisco Board of Education, At-Large: Ryan Hazelton Beaumont Unified School District, Area 4: Megan Garcia William S. Hart Union High School Board of Trustees, Area 5: Stacy Fortner Natomas Unified School District, Area 1: Neil Pople Hacienda La Puente Unified School District Board, Area 2: Johnny Yoder Goleta Union School Board, Area 1: Eric Bowers San Luis Coastal Unified School District, Area 2: Michael Glavan Lucia Mar Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 7: Donna Kandel Murrieta Valley School Board, District 2: Nancy Young La Mesa – Spring Valley School District, Area 3: Brianna Coston San Mateo Union High School District, Area 3: Diana Harris William S. Hart Union High School District Board of Trustees, Area 2: Julee Brooks Redlands Unified School District, Area 2: Ryan Schavrien Grossmont Union High School District, Area 4: Steve Mull
Bold indicates an LGBTQ+ candidate.
For a complete list of Equality California’s endorsements, please visit eqca.org/elections.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
