Meet the candidates running for Supervisor in Contra Costa County
Election Season | We highlight races to watch in the East Bay
Vote-by-mail ballots arrived last week with dozens of critical offices up for a vote.
The East Bay Leadership Council does not endorse candidates, but we thought it was important to highlight a few of the open seats up in 2022.
We have covered Assembly District 20, an open Alameda County Supervisor's race, and continue with a closer look at Contra Costa County District 4 Supervisor. All of these races have significant potential impact over regional policy related to housing, health, and economic development.
Contra Costa County Supervisor | District 4
Candidates for Contra Costa County Supervisor, District 4
In Contra Costa County the District 4 Supervisor seat is now up for grabs with Supervisor Karen Mitchoff announcing her retirement from the board after twelve years of service.
Voters in District 4 (map) which includes the cities of Concord, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Clayton will choose from five candidates on the ballot.
Debora Allen is an elected member of the BART Board of Directors representing much of central Contra Costa, former trustee to Contra Costa's pension board, and financial professional. She may be best-known as an advocate for increased fiscal oversight and measures to stop fare evasion at BART. Allen has emphasized housing supply as a core issue to her campaign and highlighted her experience in the construction management industry. Notable endorsements include current District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen and the Mayor of Clayton.
Edi Birsan has served on the Concord City Council since 2012 and made a name for himself as a Concord-Diablo Rotarian, small business owner in the maritime industry, and community leader of the city’s Monument neighborhood. He has made smash-and-grab crimes a central tenet of his campaign with an online petition calling for courts at the city level be established to expedite the adjudication of crimes. Birsan does not feature endorsements on his website.
Ken Carlson was elected to the Pleasant Hill City Council in 2012 as the city’s first openly gay council member. Carlson is a 29-year veteran of Concord Police Department where he served as both a beat cop and an internal affairs investigator. He has emphasized his involvement with major capital projects like a new Pleasant Hill library and road improvements while also growing Pleasant Hill's reserves to more than $8 million. Notable endorsements include the East Bay Times and the Mayors of Concord, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek.
Roxanne Carrillo Garza has spent the last 22 years as a public servant including time as the Public Health Program Manager for Contra Costa Health Services and a Senior Director for the Healthy Contra Costa Initiative. She would be the first Latina elected to the board. Garza’s focus has been on addressing inequities in healthcare, education, and employment while citing her recent experience navigating the county's budgeting process on the Measure X Community Advisory Board. Key endorsements include Former Congressman George Miller and the Diablo Valley Democratic Club.
Carlyn Obringer was elected to the Concord City Council in 2016 where she also previously served on the Planning Commission and Design Review Board. Obringer has emphasized continued economic development efforts with a specific focus on a new four-year university at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. She has been involved in a number of local organizations including serving as President for the local chapter of Soroptomist International. Notable endorsements include Former Assemblymember Susan Bonilla and the Central Labor Council of Contra Costa.
Voter Statistics
51.6% Democratic
20.1% Republican
28.3% Other
If you are looking for more information, check out the recent candidate forum we hosted alongside the League of Women Voters and local chambers of commerce for a chance to hear directly from the candidates.
Watch the forum
Get ready to vote! ✅
Now is a great time to check your voter registration status and make sure you are ready to vote in the June 7th election. You can check your voter status at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Must Read | Homelessness surges in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties
Lauren Helpler in the San Francisco Chronicle: The numbers come from one-day “point-in-time” surveys conducted earlier this year, which had been delayed by the pandemic, and reflect uneven results in regional efforts to manage the homelessness crisis.
Six of nine Bay Area counties released estimates on Monday: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Sonoma. They posted a combined 8% increase in the regional homeless population, up to 34,636 people this year compared with 32,043 three years ago.
One unmistakable trend is the geographic sprawl of an issue once regarded as a byproduct of unaffordable big cities like San Francisco. Officials reported a 69% spike in local homelessness in Fremont, to 1,026 people, plus a 35% jump in Contra Costa County and an 8% increase in affluent Marin County.
Social media spotlight
Join #TeamEBLC
If your company is not a member of the East Bay Leadership Council, we hope you will consider joining us. Learn more about our work and the benefits of membership at www.eastbayleadershipcouncil.com