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SoCo DSA 2026 General Election Voter Guide
This voter guide is intended to help Sonoma County DSA members and allies make informed decisions when they go to the ballot box for the November 3rd general election. Our recommendations are voted on by the electoral committee, which is open to all members. If you want to get involved in future elections work, please join a meeting or chime in on Discord!
We have a lot to vote on in Sonoma County! You can search for a specific race or measure in this guide using the Table of Contents to the right, Ctrl+F (on Windows or Linux), or Command+F (on Mac). On most mobile browsers, you can click the settings button (often the “…” icon) and use the Find in Page tool.
Federal Offices
United States Representative, 1st District
California’s recent redistricting pits Republican James Gallagher against longtime Democratic representative Mike McGuire, formerly of the 2nd district. Gallagher is running on a typical republican platform that touts “tougher laws” on crime, defending property rights, and “protecting” farms and businesses from government regulation. But most tellingly, his platform indisputably supports Trump’s border security—ICE. On the other hand, Mike McGuire is an establishment Democrat, is endorsed by the JStreet PAC (which supports Israel), and has received scrutiny for suspicious use of campaign funds. That’s not to say he hasn’t accomplished anything on the California Senate; notably, he’s helped pass a major 2025 affordability package, and free school meals for public school students. But this race still doesn’t present an ideal choice for the DSA voter.
The voter who strategizes for lesser evil should vote for McGuire, but his record in office does not align him with DSA goals. Mike McGuire is an establishment democrat who is likely to win. He’s not likely to need your vote. We can provide no recommendation.
United States Representative, 2nd District
2nd District voters must choose between incumbent Jared Huffman (D), or challenger Robin Littau (R). In office, Huffman has worked to implement environmental protections on California’s coast and access to affordable housing in some areas. In recent years, he has grown more critical of Israel, but in July, ultimately voted a timid “Present” on the Massie Amendment, which would have prevented any funds in the H.R. 8595 National Security Appropriations Act from being used for Israel. He is not quite there yet. To end on a positive note, he regularly sounds the alarm about the degrading separation of church and state, opposing the religious right.
It is apt that his Republican challenger centers her campaign on faith. Robin Littau offers to be a “servant hearted integrious leader” (we’re not sure what that means either), and wholeheartedly supports Israel. Her campaign’s “my kid, my call” pillar strongly suggests an opposition to the SAFETY act, which protects trans children in California from being mandatorily outed to unsupportive or bigoted parents.
Huffman is the better choice, but his lack of alignment with DSA views on ending military aid to Israel is the chief thing preventing us from recommending him to DSA voters. Littau, with her lack of experience and poorly articulated goals, stands little chance of beating him.
United States Representative, 4th District
Voters in District 4 must choose between incumbent Mike Thompson and challenger Eric Jones, both running within the Democratic Party. On paper, Jones has a much more progressive platform: Medicare for all, a $10,000 working-class tax credit, a national housing construction bank, and a stock-trading ban. Thompson, who was first elected to the House in 1998, has more experience and a voting record matching a standard Democratic congressperson: he was an ACA co-sponsor, a proponent of gun reform, and the AFL-CIO gives his voting record a lifetime score of 97% (the same of as the average House Democrat). Thompson would likely have seniority on Ways and Means if Democrats win the House. The main worry for a DSA-aligned voter should be Jones’ ties to Silicon Valley and Venture Capitalist firms. While Jones has sworn off taking PAC money (his campaign is nearly 2/3 self-funded), VC and finance donors dominate his campaign’s financial filings. However, it’s worth noting that Jones’ stated policies support regulating AI. On the other hand, Thompson is open to accepting contributions from PACs (roughly $750,000), and last year voted Yes on H.R. 3633, a pro-Crypto bill that would effectively reduce oversight of digital assets.
Those who saw Jones at a local candidates forum came away with an impression of him as arrogant and overbearing. Jones is trying to appeal to Republican voters in the redrawn district by dancing between progressive populism and reactionary libertarianism, playing the outsider who will challenge the system – despite the fact that he’s actually a rich venture capitalist who put over $5 million of his own money into buying this race. His campaign ads are misleading – for example, falsely implying that he’s endorsed by Bernie Sanders (he’s not). Jones is an opportunist with no moral convictions, and is unfit for public office.
State Offices
State Senator, 2nd District
The race for State Senate in the 2nd district pits Damon Connolly (D) against Tief Gibbs (R). Gibbs is a board member of the Novato Downtown Business Association who professes to uphold conservative values. She advocates for more oil drilling, appears to tacitly support ICE, and she is endorsed by the California Rifle and Pistol Association. In contrast, while in the State Senate, Connolly has passed bills to limit fees on residential solar, and has signed onto AB 92, a state bill aimed at preventing mass shootings by preventing people who own firearms from buying body armor. He’s campaigning on wildfire prevention, confronting the climate crisis, affordable healthcare, reproduction rights, and other important progressive goals. We recommend Damon Connolly.
Member of the State Assembly, 2nd District
Incumbent Chris Rogers is the joint author of bills to establish universal healthcare in California, and ban corporate contributions in elections; he has a proven record of taking big businesses to task. Since his election to State Assembly in 2024, his accomplishments in office have already included: working with Tribal governments to protect endangered salmon runs, expanding support for rural community healthcare, and helping deliver state investments to revitalize Sonoma State University. He is a Working Families Party candidate who we are pleased to recommend.
Rogers’ policy goals include:
· Reducing homelessness, building affordable housing, and support working families
· Expanding funding for rural healthcare clinics
· Promoting climate resilience and protecting our environment
Rogers has one competitor in this race, Republican candidate Mike Greer. Greer’s positions include a litany of conservative goals such as: “school choice” policies that reroute our hard-earned tax dollars away from public schools to charter and private schools, tough-on-crime policies would further criminalize at-risk community members without actually reducing crime, and “auditing and reporting” dogwhistles that would drag our progressive investments in healthcare, education, and homeless backwards. Greer is endorsed by rightwing organizations like California Rifle & Pistol Association, Reform California, and Moms for America.
Member of the State Assembly, 4th District
There is one person in this race: incumbent Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. She is a democrat running on protecting public health and safety, investing in education, and fighting climate change. There’s not a lot of information on Aguiar-Curry, but her campaign is certainly not in jeopardy of losing to a Republican. We have no recommendation here.
Member of the State Assembly, 12th District
Jackie Elward is running a progressive campaign, with addressing the climate crisis and defending our communities from the Trump administration at the top of the list. She has served as mayor and vice-mayor of Rohnert Park, and is a proud labor organizer, educator, and immigrant. Her impressive achievements in Rohnert Park local government include establishing housing-first solutions to homelessness and increasing building of affordable homes.
Among other progressive policies, Elward supports:
· Universal healthcare
· Expansion of Medicare within California
· Affordable housing
· Anti-ICE
In a field filled with candidates clamoring for the title of “progressive,” Jackie stands head and shoulders above her opponents on the issues true progressives care about. She has gained endorsements from the Working Families Party, the North Bay Labor Council, the California Federation of Labor Unions, along with many other progressive organizations.
Her opponent Eric Lucan is supported by corporate democrats such as Adam Schiff and Jared Huffman. He has been unwilling to criticize Israel’s numerous and recent war-crimes, and has been skittish about calling the genocide in the Gaza Strip what it is: a genocide. Though he pays lip service to progressive ideals, especially in regards to LGBTQ rights, he does not support universal healthcare and leans more toward austerity measures than taxing the wealthy.
County Offices
If you are in a district voting for county supervisor this year, your vote is a powerful statement against corporate interests in Sonoma County! Vote for Joanna Paun in District 2 and Melanie Bagby in District 4.
Most Americans understand that big money interests – billionaires, corporations, Wall Street – dominate our political system at the state and national level. What many don’t realize is that there is a corporate ‘money machine’ running local politics as well. Here in Sonoma County, developers and realtors, big ag and the wine industry, tourism, big box retailers, and other commercial interests spend a lot of money electing ‘business-friendly’ candidates to city councils and the county board of supervisors. They understand that local policy decisions about zoning, land use, water access, property taxes, sales tax, minimum wage, unionization, housing and rent control, all affect their profit margins, so they see buying elections as an investment.
They typically work through a local power broker named Rob Muelrath. Most voters have never heard of him, but corporations like PG&E, WalMart, and Waste Management pay him to push for their interests in Sacramento. Muelrath is a corporate lobbyist, pressuring legislators to make laws that benefit his rich clients. However, when election season rolls around, Muelrath changes hats and becomes a ‘campaign consultant’, which is a polite way of saying that he recruits, funds, and often manages candidates for local office who will vote the way his corporate backers want.
Muelrath has been very successful; 4 of the 5 current members of the county board of supervisors are Muelrath clients, as are many of our city council members. Most are registered Democrats, because that’s generally a prerequisite to getting elected in this county, but they were not chosen for the usual left-right issues. Muelrath and his clients don’t care what they think about abortion, transgender rights, or US foreign policy – they just want a candidate who will allow big growers to deplete the groundwater supply, or big developers to build more McMansions in a high-fire-risk area. This is about profit, not social issues, so candidates can talk as liberal as they want – as long as they vote pro-business when it counts.
Muelrath is funding Joanna Paun’s opponent, Sylvia Lemus, for Supervisor in the 2nd district (Petaluma-Cotati), and Melanie Bagby’s opponent, Tom Schwedhelm, for the 4th district (North SR, Windsor, Healdsburg). Other local progressives, like Melanie Jones-Carter (for SR city council) and Jackie Elward (for state assembly) are also up against heavily funded pro-business opponents.
We are part of an informal coalition that includes the North Bay Labor Council, local unions like SEIU, The Working Families Party, Conservation Action, and even some elements of the local Democratic Party – all running against this big-money machine; we will be massively outspent, so the only way to win is with people power.
And it’s essential that we win, for several reasons:
1. Shifting policy – ending the county sheriff’s cooperation with ICE, building affordable housing, solving homelessness, funding schools, fixing roads, protecting our water supply, and more – can only happen if we elect progressives, not rubber stamps for big business.
2. We need to break the Muelrath machine’s hold on local politics to give voters a reason to vote in local elections, and know that their vote actually matters.
3. We need to get the money – and the ugly attack ads and underhanded tactics that go with it – out of local races, so that more people with integrity and a conscience will run for office.
4. Reforming our political process starts locally; if we do this here, we lay the foundation for cleaning up state and federal elections.
County Supervisor, 2nd District
We are proud to share that Joanna Paun, the grassroots pick for 2nd District County Supervisor, is a SoCo DSA member and our first endorsed candidate! A democratic socialist running on progressive policies and a people-first approach to politics, she has an impressive background and is backed by the people, not regional corporate interests. She has earned endorsements from many other local progressive organizations and people, including: SEIU 1021, California Working Families Party, Teamsters Local 665, and CA Assembly Members Damon Connolly and Chris Rogers.
Paun currently serves as a Petaluma School Board Trustee and works as Sonoma County’s foster and homeless youth education coordinator. A mother of four, she has been a Petaluma resident for 20 years, and has a professional background in counseling.
In brief, some of Paun’s progressive priorities include:
· Ending Sonoma County’s cooperation with ICE
· Lowering the cost of living and delivering affordable housing
· Fixing our roads, waterlines, and aging infrastructure
· Safeguarding health care and hospitals from the Trump administration’s funding cuts
· Improving mental health care services in schools
Sonoma County needs a County Supervisor that prioritizes the safety of all residents. Joanna Paun is the only District 2 candidate committed to ending Sonoma County’s cooperation with ICE, which the current Board of Supervisors has refused to do. At present, Chris Coursey (District 3) is the only supervisor in support of publicly asking for non-cooperation. If we elect Joanna Paun and Melanie Bagby to office, three out of five supervisors in 2027, a majority, will be in agreement on this.
Paun’s campaign addresses a range of other important issues impacting our county. She is committed to address the housing crisis by building affordable housing in the district. She intends to link county funds and services to public schools in the community, easing the burden on schools struggling to provide these services to at-risk youth. In contrast to current District 2 Supervisor Rabbit’s accountability issues, Paun is committed to open and accessible meetings with the community in order to bring transparency to local decision-making.
Opponent Sylvia Lemus entered the race only after being recruited by Rob Muelrath, a political consultant and corporate lobbyist finagling tax breaks and labor loopholes for corporations such as Walmart, Dutra, and PG&E. Although Lemus has taken liberal stands on some issues, she also serves on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is considered a ‘business-friendly’ voice in the community. Some local discussions have characterized Lemus as the more experienced candidate due to her time as mayor of Cotati. Regarding this claim, we would like to note that Joanna Paun’s seven years of experience on the Petaluma School Board (versus Lemus’s four years as mayor) means she has spent nearly twice as much time in local government making decisions about a school system with a budget several times that of the town of Cotati.
County Supervisor, 4th District
The only candidate taking a firm stance against the Trump administration, endorsed by the North Bay Labor Council, SEIU, Working Families Party, Latino PAC of Sonoma County, and Sonoma County Conservation Action. She has progressive goals aiming for a sustainable environment and economy. Bagby’s priorities include:
· Protect our community and immigrant neighbors from Trump administration policies
· Defend voter-approved civilian oversight of law enforcement.
· Build mutual-aid capacity for climate resilience and disaster response
· Lead on the housing crisis and homelessness, water security, clean energy, and transportation
· Champion family agriculture, local food systems, small business, and job training
Bagby’s opponent is Tom Schwedhelm, the former Santa Rosa Police Chief. He’s a pro-business Republican in all but name (registered “no party preference”), and is endorsed by big ag, big business, and the Santa Rosa Police Officers’ Association. His background suggests that he would be an obstacle to meaningful oversight of the Sheriff’s office.
School Offices
School board members (listed as Governing Board Members on your ballot) do a lot of important tasks at local public schools. They set district policy, review budgets, and hire and review superintendents. For seats with this level of local impact, it’s a shame how little information is available about the candidates. Where information is available, we have provided recommendations.
Member, Sonoma County Board of Education, Trustee Area 2
Proud democratic socialist and educator Caitlin Quinn is a passionate supporter of students from historically disenfranchised groups—including students of color, LGBTQIA+, and foster youth—as well as adult members of her union, SEIU 1021, for which she serves as the Chapter President of PP NorCal Workers Unit. With her time serving on the Petaluma School Board and her current work as a Government Relations Associate for Planned Parenthood, she has ample experience to bring to the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE).
Her campaign priorities include:
· Maintaining support for students with disabilities
· Protecting immigrant students and families from unlawful ICE activities
· Advocating for increased state funding for local school districts
· Supporting workforce housing for educators
· Union solidarity
· Clear financial oversight
Her opponent, Jonathan Lenz, lacks union support and does not have a strong stance in opposition to ICE on behalf of students.
Governing Board Member, Sonoma County Junior College District, Trustee Area 5
Incumbent Dorothy Battenfeld is a former public-school teacher who first won this seat in 2014 by defeating a 20-year incumbent. She has a long list of endorsements, including local progressives like Caitlynn Quinn, Jackie Elward, and Damon Connolly, as well as organizations like the North Bay Labor Council. Her opponent Leticia Contreras has been an instructor at the SRJC and touts experience as a community and labor organizer, but ultimately lacks progressive endorsements from our allies in the labor movement and local politics.
Governing Board Member, Sonoma County Junior College District, Trustee Area 7
There is not enough publicly available information about the candidates for SoCo DSA to make a recommendation. Incumbent Michael Valdovinos, an Air Force veteran and practicing psychologist has no campaign website and his personal site makes no mention of his candidacy for governing board member. Challenger Katelyn Rutkowski is a crisis center counselor and SRJC alumnus. Rutkowski is running on a platform of disability advocacy, but lacks concrete policy proposals or political positions.
Governing Board Member, Calistoga Joint Unified School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District, Trustee Area 1
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Sonoma Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 1
Both candidates in this race—Amanda Radzik and Susan McIntosh—are running on nearly identical platforms: fiscal responsibility, transparency, and investing in resources for teachers and students. Radzik enjoys the endorsement of the Valley of the Moon Teacher’s Association, while McIntosh is endorsed by the state and county Democratic Parties. There is not enough clear differentiation between the candidates for SoCo DSA to issue an endorsement.
Governing Board Member, Windsor Unified School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, City of Santa Rosa High School District, Trustee Area 2
This is a two-candidate race between Shaun du Fosee, the appointed incumbent and a retired Sonoma County Sheriff, and Teresa A. Medina, a program coordinator at the Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma-Marin.
Medina is a recent graduate from Maria Carrillo High School, where she served as president of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MeChA), a social justice organization advocating for Latino students and community members.
Du Fosee is a bad fit for Santa Rosa schools who Sonoma County DSA opposes. Du Fosee is a 32-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office’s detention division and retired as a sergeant. He also served on the board of the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association, the correctional deputies’ union, and worked as Mike Thompson’s representative on the Sonoma County Democratic Party Central Committee. Du Fosee has advocated for police officers on Santa Rosa campuses and voted for a $76,000 retroactive raise for the district’s fiscal administrator despite nearly 200 staff layoffs following deep cuts to the district’s budget.
Governing Board Member, Petaluma Joint Union High School District, Trustee Area 3
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Petaluma Joint Union High School District, Trustee Area 5
Sarah Seitchik Sebastian is a DSA member and longtime community organizer who prioritizes diversity, equity, fairness, and safety for all students and their families in Petaluma. She is co-founder of Petaluma’s TIDE (Team for Inclusivity, Diversity and Equity), where she has spent countless hours analyzing hard data to learn exactly what it will take to make Petaluma a great place for all working-class families and the educators upon whom they rely. In addition to our endorsement, she has received endorsements from the North Bay Labor Council and the Working Families Party, among others.
Seitchik Sebastian’s priorities include:
· Data driven equity that tracks outcomes by demographic so students receive help where it is needed.
· Smart, responsible budgeting that ensures transparency as to how tax dollars are spent.
· Family engagement that includes parents and caregivers in decisions.
Her opponent John La Bare comes from a business-focused and operations background, and lacks experience in schooling. His campaign website reads as AI-generated, and his emphasis on getting School Resource Officers—that is, law enforcement—into schools is somewhat suspect.
Governing Board Member, West Sonoma County Union High School District, Trustee Area 5
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Harmony Union School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Monte Rio Union School District, Full Term
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Twin Hills Union School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Two Rock Union School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
Governing Board Member, Waugh School District
Not enough information is available about the candidates for us to issue a recommendation.
City Offices
Member, City Council, City of Cloverdale
Among a crowded field of candidates, Kimberly Kern is the most appropriate choice here. An EdD and former superintendent, she has operation and administrative experience germane to the role, particularly around wildfire response and other public emergencies. We’ll spare you the rundown on her eight competitors, who as a general rule tend to either lack experience or have endorsements from policing-related associations.
Member, City Council, City of Healdsburg, District 2
Though seemingly politically green, Matthew Lopez promises better-developed basic public policy positions than his competitors, reflecting a deeper level of engagement with local issues. He is endorsed by the North Bay Labor Council and currently works as a math teacher. His platform includes sustainable housing, smart city planning, economic development, and improved public transit. Regarding the other candidates in the race, Scott Pratt is a part of the democratic establishment, and Alex Wood has no real experience in addition to no clear political commitments.
Member, City Council, City of Healdsburg, District 4
Single Candidate: Uncontested
Mayor, City of Petaluma
Incumbent mayor Kevin McDonnell can point at real accomplishments: improved street paving and affordable housing among them. He has led climate-first city programs like free public transit and the new Petaluma SMART train station. He’s endorsed by the AFL-CIO and local progressives, such as Damon Connolly and Brian Barnacle.
In contrast, his challengers, Shelina Moreda (who pivoted to running for mayor after losing in the primary for county supervisor) and business owner John Hanania, have campaigns full of imprecise goals and obfuscatory language. Hanania has previously led an ill-articulated attempt to recall city councilmember Janice Cader Thompson, described by some as outright harassment. Moreda comes from a family business and simply has too many incidents counting against her character: in 2025 she faced a temporary domestic violence restraining order; during her campaign for supervisor, she perplexingly lied about her age, and her actual residential status in Petaluma has been questioned.
McDonnell is doing a good job of implementing generally progressive policies in Petaluma, but is not a democratic socialist. He is unlikely to be unseated by either of the alternative candidates.
Member, City Council, City of Petaluma, District 1
In a three-candidate race for the District 1 City Council seat, Cader Thompson’s advocacy mobile home facing eviction (a salient issue affecting some constituents of District 1) is laudable, and she has a progressive campaign platform. She does, however, have an odd assortment of endorsements; she’s endorsed by DSA candidate Joanna Paun and also by the Petaluma Police Department. Her opponents are Alan LaPierre and Nate Martin. Martin does not appear to have a website with any clearly defined goals. LaPierre’s issues as listed on his website lack the district specifics that Cader Thompson clearly defines. We recommend Cader Thompson, as her advocacy for mobile home park residents facing eviction in the district is important for tenants’ rights in Sonoma County and California more broadly.
Member, City Council, City of Petaluma, District 2
Incumbent John Shribbs has well-defined conservation and sustainability-focused campaign priorities. Challenger Brent Newell has one broadly defined campaign priority, with the remaining two meant to be built out as a result of listening sessions with community members. It is unclear what Newell, an environmental attorney, stands for due to his current lack of materials. Newell has received endorsements from the Sonoma County Democrats and the North Bay Labor Council despite the lack of campaign priorities.
Member, City Council, City of Petaluma, District 3
Eric Vasquez challenges incumbent Karen Nau with a set of highly detailed progressive goals. He is for tenant protections, expanding transit service, among other goals specific to Petaluma. More precise goals like encouraging housing near SMART stations and bringing in funding partners like the SRJC to improve public transit suggest a deep level of local knowledge and initiative that Karen Nau has sorely lacked during her time on the Petaluma City Council. Sonoma County DSA proudly recommends him.
Member, City Council, City of Rohnert Park, District 2
No Recommendation
Member, City Council, City of Rohnert Park, District 5
No Recommendation
Member, City Council, City of Santa Rosa, District 2
Single Candidate: Uncontested
Member, City Council, City of Santa Rosa, District 4
Jones-Carter has a background in organizational management and a long history of civic leadership in Santa Rosa (Food for Thought, Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women). She is endorsed by the North Bay Labor Council, Latino PAC of Sonoma County, and Teamsters Local 665.
Her priorities include:
· Housing affordability: Accomplished through mortgage assistance, and incentivizing restoration of existing housing.
· Homelessness: Using new pathways to low-income housing, expanded mental health and SUD services, expanded InRESPONSE program, and a proactive review of the city’s 5-year homelessness plan.
· Infrastructure: Implement a low-cost repair plan that makes such fixes affordable for homeowners.
· Downtown Development: Support for local businesses and arts organizations, and building a more economically enticing space for small businesses.
Her opponent, Terry Sanders, is a former firefighter running with the endorsement of the Santa Rosa Police Officers Association and the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. He is also active in Santa Rosa’s non-profit space, though his experience as a community leader is much shorter than Jones-Carter’s.
Member, City Council, City of Santa Rosa, District 6
Single Candidate: Uncontested
Member, City Council, City of Sebastopol
This race has two incumbents, and both strike DSA as pro-business technocrats. Of the challengers in the field, James Woodruff aligns best with the DSA agenda. He works as a welder and has been highly involved with local community activism since 2022. His platform is pro-worker, anti-ICE, and anti-Flock. He’s an environmentalist with a focus on proper funding of water and sewer infrastructure, as well as planning for climate adaptation and green space. His strong support for unions has garnered him an endorsement by the North Bay Labor Council.
Member, City Council, City of Sonoma, District 1
Of the three competitors in this race, Julian Mackie is somewhat aligned with DSA on affordable housing and climate resilience, and is the only candidate with clear and well-defined campaign priorities. His competitors are Peggy Hutton, a local business owner with an AI-generated site, and Michael Menefee, who is primarily focused on historical preservation.
Mayor, Town of Windsor
No Recommendation
Member, Town Council, Town of Windsor, District 1
There are two candidates in this race. One of them, Evan Kubota, is a former Marin County Sheriff’s deputy who was fired after a 2013 shooting during a traffic stop. We find this past troubling, so we recommend Gina Fortino Dickson. She has a wealth of relevant governing experience on planning councils and commissions, but it must be acknowledged that her campaign priorities lack specificity related to DSA goals like housing affordability and pro-worker policies.
Member, Town Council, Town of Windsor, District 4
Not enough information is available in this race for DSA to issue a recommendation. Vallery did not submit a statement and has no website. Rennie does not have a website, but appears to be running on the vague goal of fiscal responsibility.
Local Measures
AB, Sonoma County Junior College District
Measure AB allows the SRJC to issue bonds to pay for new and improved school facilities. Local higher education, especially options like the SRJC that provide affordable options for low-income individuals and families, is incredibly important for the health of our communities.
D, Coast Life Support District
Measure D increases the emergency medical services parcel tax to fund emergency medical services, (such as ambulance and life-support services) in a large, geographically challenging rural service area where rapid access to emergency medical care is essential.
E, Waugh School District
Measure E allows the Waugh School District to issue bonds to pay for repairs and modernized infrastructure for classrooms and other school facilities. A working government funds high quality schools and facilities, which are necessary for students to get a good education.
G, West Sonoma County Union High School District
Measure G lets the West Sonoma County Union High School District renew its existing parcel tax at the same rate as the previously existing one. The parcel tax allows schools to maintain arts classes and career technical programs, and keep class sizes low by retaining teachers and staff.
H, County of Sonoma
Measure H allows for Sonoma County to continue an existing ⅛ cent countywide sales tax which provides funding for a variety of environmental and conservation goals. This sales tax exists to improve and protect: our regional and neighborhood parks; local water supplies, streams, and rivers; fish and wildlife habitats, as well as reducing future wildfire risk. This measure means a protected environment that all Sonoma county residents can enjoy.
I, Town of Windsor
Measure I provides funding for the Town of Windsor by instituting a 1% sales tax. The funds will be used to maintain essential local services, like street maintenance and repair, emergency response, park preservation, and disaster preparedness. Sales taxes are regressive, disproportionately impacting poorer residents. However, our communities also face limited means to fund essential services, so we recommend a yes on Measure I.
J, Windsor Unified School District
Measure J allows Windsor Unified School District to sell about $96 million in bonds to repair and modernize its schools, including classrooms, science and career-training labs, roofs, plumbing, HVAC, and safety systems. As a bond extension, Measure J keeps the current tax rate from a previous bond in place rather than raising the rate. The tax would raise about $6 million a year while the bonds are outstanding, at roughly $46 per $100,000 of assessed property value.
This measure creates safer, updated schools for Windsor students and teachers, with property tax rates staying about the same.
K, City of Rohnert Park
Measure K would enact a half-cent local sales tax in Rohnert Park, raising an estimated $5.5 million a year to maintain emergency response, protect local drinking water, maintain parks and public spaces, and prevent property crime. As a general tax, there’s no legally binding guarantee as to how the revenue would be used, but annual independent audits and public disclosure of spending let residents check whether the funds are used as promised. A yes means an increase in local funding exclusively for Rohnert Park; a no means no new revenue and possible further cuts to public services. While we oppose regressive taxes, we recognize the current reality that public services like emergency response, clean water, and parks are collective goods that need funding.
L, City of Santa Rosa
Measure L would extend and double an existing voter-approved sales tax in Santa Rosa to a full cent, raising an estimated $46 million a year. According to the City, it would prevent further cuts to services such as fire protection, 911 response, police response to violent crimes, and fixing streets and potholes. The City also cites community engagement priorities of keeping all fire stations open and operational, maintaining public spaces, and addressing homeless encampments, with funds also going to deferred maintenance and closing the budget gap. As a general tax, there’s no legally binding guarantee as to how the revenue would be used, but independent audits and public disclosure of spending let residents verify allocations. While we recognize sales taxes are regressive, impacting lower income residents more, we must fund collective services that improve safety in Santa Rosa.
M, Harmony Union School District
Measure M would institute a fixed parcel tax of $75 per year for four years, raising an estimated $177,600 a year to support programs in the Harmony Union School District. The programs include the Garden Enrichment Program, mental health services, and academic intervention services, currently constrained by lack of sufficient funding. The Garden Enrichment Program is a farm-to-table program including a production farm whose harvest supplies school meals. Mental health services provide short-term and ongoing support for students. Academic services include intervention teachers and paraeducator staff, reading groups, and 1:1 tutoring. Pandemic-era state and federal funding ended in 2024 while demand for services has remained high, and over $300,000 has been cut from these three programs in the last few years. As a special tax, the funds are legally dedicated to those programs and to local students, and parcel owners 65 and older have an exemption option.
N, Schell-Vista Fire Protection District
Measure N would retain the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District’s increased spending limit, letting the district keep spending the proceeds of a special tax voters previously approved. It doesn’t create a new tax or raise the rate. This renews an increase to the state cap on local agency spending, which voters can approve for up to four years at a time. The money supports fire, rescue, and emergency medical services for about 4,500 residents across unincorporated areas around Sonoma.
A yes means the district can keep spending all of its special tax revenue on fire and emergency services; a no means it couldn’t spend all of it. Rural fire and emergency medical response is an essential public service, and this maintains the funding voters already approved.
O, Old Adobe Union School District
Measure O would authorize bonds for the Old Adobe Union School District to repair and modernize its schools, including repairing and replacing roofs and HVAC systems; making health, safety, security, and accessibility (ADA) improvements; and updating classrooms, restrooms, and multi-purpose rooms. The tax would raise about $2.8 million a year while the bonds are outstanding, at roughly $25 per $100,000 of assessed value. While funds can’t go to salaries, the measure requires annual audits, oversight, and keeping all money local.
A yes means facility repairs and safety and accessibility upgrades for students and staff; a no means the district has no new local funding for that work. Publicly funded school facilities are essential to providing education to all children regardless of wealth.