LA County To Vote On Board Of Supervisors, Sheriff In Tight Race June 2

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County voters will weigh in Tuesday on races for two seats on the five-member Board of Supervisors, while also deciding on who should serve as sheriff and county assessor.

First District Board of Supervisors member Hilda Solis is termed out, and a field of five candidates is seeking to replace her.

State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo is the most notable candidate on the list of people looking to represent a district that includes areas such as Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, downtown and the San Gabriel Valley. A longtime union and labor leader, Durazo previously served as secretary- treasurer of the powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. She also served on the city of Los Angeles Airport Commission.

Elaine Alaniz, a disaster recovery specialist who also serves on the Westlake North Neighborhood Council, is also seeking the post. She wrote on her website that she has "built her life around helping people navigate crisis, rebuild stability and reconnect to opportunity." She cited the fentanyl crisis and combating homelessness as among her top concerns.

Noel Almario, a birth doula and advocate for maternal health, said she is dedicated to "amplifying marginalized voices" and working on behalf of working families. She said she wants to ensure access to preventative healthcare, increase the availability of affordable housing and build trust between residents and law enforcement.

David Argudo is a La Puente City Council member and lifelong county resident who served in the Marine Corps. He said his campaign is focused on improving public safety, tackling homelessness, bolstering mental health services and ensuring transparency and accountability in county government. He said he wants to fix broken county policies and improve struggling programs for residents.

Annabella Figueroa Mazariegos, a county employee, is also on the ballot.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who has represented the Third District for the past four years, is seeking a second term on the board. She has three challengers on Tuesday's ballot, but all are facing a tough battle. It's been nearly 50 years since a sitting member of the Board of Supervisors has lost a re-election bid.

Horvath, a former West Hollywood mayor, touted her work over the past four years to take on homelessness through creation of a county department to address the issue. She also pointed to her work on behalf of residents recovering from the Palisades Fire, her opposition to federal immigration raids and her work to usher through a county government overhaul, including a planned expansion of the Board of Supervisors.

Realtor Tonia Arey is among the candidates looking to unseat Horvath. She said she was motivated to join the race following the Palisades Fire, saying the recovery effort is moving too slowly, with no urgency from county government.

Carmenlina Minasyan is a doctor who said she has practiced medicine in countries including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Armenia. She previously ran for the Los Angeles City Council and state Legislature.

Tomás Sidenfaden, a businessman and software engineer, said he is focused on improving public safety, making the county more affordable, tackling homelessness and streamlining permitting processes to improve the availability of housing.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Robert Luna is seeking a second term as the county's top cop. He won the job four years ago by defeating incumbent Alex Villanueva, who is again running for the post. Also challenging Luna are former sheriff's Sgt. Eric Strong, retired Capt. Mike Bornman, Sgt. Karla Carranza, former Assistant Sheriff Brendan Corbett, sheriff's Lt. Oscar Martinez and detective André White.

County Assessor Jeffrey Prang is also seeking another term, with four challengers on the ballot: Stephen Adamus, a property assessment specialist; real estate appraiser Rob Newland, tax consultant Steven Palty, and deputy assessor Sandy Sun.