Contra Costa County is starting to get a glimpse of what the November election will look like as candidate filing continues.
Many races are packed with candidates – see Clayton, Concord, El Cerrito, Pittsburg and Pinole. Meanwhile, many races are quiet, especially school boards and water districts.
While it is important to note that pulling nomination papers does not mean a candidate will qualify for the ballot, they have until Friday, August 7, 2026 at 5:00 pm to file all paperwork. If an incumbent doesn’t pull papers, filing for that seat will be extended for a week.
Here is a rundown as of Monday morning with a few thoughts:
- Antioch: should have some of the more competitive races in Contra Costa County –especially District 1. Will Joy Motts & Diane Gibson-Gray split the vote again giving Torres-Walker another win. Torres-Walker won by 4 votes in the last election after a recount process. In District 4, is Antioch willing to give Monica Wilson a fifth term?
- Brentwood: Neither race has an incumbent making the races interesting and should be competitive. With extensions likely, will anyone jump in and play spoiler?
- Concord: These race have been quiet, but I expect it to blow up when filing closes – especially if Dominic Aliano choses not to seek re-election in District 3. Is this the year Laura Hoffmeister is voted out in District 1? Can Aeysha Corio beat Laura Nakamura? Concord seems fun!
- El Cerrito: Apparently they do not like taxes, 9 candidates at this point.
- Pittsburg: 8 candidates have pulled papers – it could be 9 if Angela Lopez will seek re-election. If Lopez does not file, the nomination period will be extended and you may get to double digit candidates. This one will be wild! Meanwhile, I can’t recall the last time a city clerk position has 4 candidates. And Nancy Parent has competition? What is this world coming to? Pittsburg is either going to be the most wild election in the county or essentially an echo chamber against data centers – I warn Pittsburg, do not make this is a single issue race, Pittsburg has a lot going for it, with a lot of big decisions coming so make sure you are supporting well rounded candidates.
- Richmond: I’ll say it bluntly, get behind Ahmad Anderson for mayor. There, first endorsement of 2026 November election.
- School Boards Remain Relatively Quiet: many candidates will get a “free ride” into office if more people do not step up this week.
- Special Districts & Water Districts: Water districts, sanitary districts, irrigation districts and community services districts continue to feature numerous uncontested races, highlighting an ongoing challenge in local government: recruiting candidates for offices that often have significant authority but relatively little public visibility. Many are set for a “free ride” if people do not step up.
As candidates continue filing over the coming days, the picture will undoubtedly change. Some races will grow more crowded, others may remain uncontested, and incumbents who have not yet filed are still expected to enter before the deadline
Candidate list as of Monday Morning
City of Antioch
District 1
- Tamisha Torres-Walker
- Diane Gibson-Gray
- Joy Motts
District 4
- Monica Wilson
- Andrew Becker
- Sandra White
- Metty Matthews Alappat
City Clerk
- Michael Mandy
City of Brentwood
District 2
- Kris Brand
- Mark Duke
- Tammy Zickuhr
District 4
- Stephanie Williams-Rogers
- Sheree Shannon
- Holly Bishop-Mello
City of Clayton
- Kim Trupiano
- Jeff Wan
- Amy Callaghan
- Marie Shulman
- Peter Cloven
- Charles Schmidt
- James Killoran
City of Concord
District 1
- Laura Hoffmeister
- Maria Bagley
- Lance LeDrew
District 3
- Dominic Aliano – incumbent (not yet pulled papers)
- Don Seta
- Robyn Kuslits
- Dena Acosta Beere
- Douglas Rodolfo Lezameta
District 5
- Laura Nakamura
- Aeysha Corio
Treasure
- Edith Patricia “Patti” Barsotti
Town of Danville
- Robert Storer
- Denton Carlson
Town of Discovery Bay
- Bill Meyer
El Cerrito
- Gabe Quinto
- Carolyn Wysinger
- Rahul Ilyer
- Mary Ann Jawilli
- Michael McDougall
- Wally Nowinski
- Kimberly White
- Megan Steffen
- Gaia Sonatina
City of Hercules
- Dion Bailey
- Chris Kelley
- Preet Sidhu
City of Lafayette
- Susan Candell – Incumbent
- Jim Cervanes – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Stella Wotherspoon – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Mario DiPrisco
City of Martinez
Mayor
- Brianne Zorn – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
District 1
- Jay Howard – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Nakenya Allen
District 4
- Debbie McKillop – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
Town of Moraga
- Kerry Hillis
- Alexis Mapel
City of Oakley
District 2
- Hugh Henderson – Incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Noah Lake
District 4
- Shannon Shaw – Incumbent (will seek re-election
Orinda Council
- Janet Riley
- Brandyn Iverson
City of Pinole
- Gabriel Sandoval
- Truc “Christy” Lam-Julian
- Libby Duarte
- Matt Avery
- Tina Brown
City of Pittsburg
City Council
- Dionne Adams
- Arlene Kobata
- Allen Tatomer
- Sonja Shephard
- Iztaccuauhtli Hector Gonzalez
- Johanni “Jay” Benitez
- Amhari Perkins
- Alvin Nelson
City Clerk
- Alice Evenson – incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Angel Rodriquez
- Melanie Apple Venenciano
- Latoyya P. Ella Bordelon
City Treasure
- Nancy Parent
- Latoyya P. Ella Bordelon
City of Pleasant Hill
District 3
- Zac Schess – incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Jason Seto
- Samara Al-Jumaily
District 4
- Sue Noack – incumbent (will seek re-election)
- Quy Tran
City of Orinda
- Janet Riley
City of Richmond
Mayor
- Ahmad Anderson
- Claudia Jimenez
Council seats (won re-election in primary
- District 2 – Cesar Zepeda
- District 3 – Doria Robinson
- District 4 – Soheila Bana
City of San Ramon
Mayor
- Mark Armstrong – Incumbent
- Brian Swanson
- Paschalis Ntatsos
- Emma Chigbu
Councilmember District 2
- Richard Alder – Incumbent
Councilmember District 4
- Marisol Rubio – Incumbent
- Nick Harvey
- Jeffrey Joh
City of San Pablo
- Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado
- Rita Xavier
- Caden Cotton-Blake
- Anna M Villalobos
City Clerk
- Dorothy Gantt
City Treasuer
- Viviana Toledo
City of Walnut Creek (at-large)
- Matt Francois – incumbent (will not seek re-election)
- Cindy Silva – Incumbent
- Brendan Moran
- Cherise Khaund
School Districts & Special Districts
Contra Costa County Board of Education – District 2
- Sarah Butler
- Pamela West
- Sibyl Minighini
Contra Costa County Board of Education – District 4
- Mike Maxwell
Contra Costa Community College District 1
- Raquel Fanny Donoso
- Cameron Noah Sasai
Contra Costa Community College District 3
- Rebecca Faith Barrett
Contra Costa Community College District 4
- Andy Li
Antioch Unified School District, Area 2
- Roxanne Reece
Antioch Unified School District, Area 5
- Mary Rocha – incumbent
- Brandon William Lawson
- Brandon Kenyetta Dawkins
John Swett School Board
- Teresa Jane Burk
- Bruce Henrey Hoeger
- Samantha Watson-Alvarado
- Shane Reinhart
Martinez Unified School District, Area 3
- Brenda Ann Leal
Martinez Unified School District, Area 5
- Tania E. Brugger
Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Area 1
- Debra Mason
Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Area 2
- Jane Baulch-Enloe
- Dorothy Jean Berlemeier
Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Area 4
- Brian Thomas Lawrence
- Albert William Anderson
Pittsburg School District
- Heliodoro Moreno, Jr.
- Destiny Briscoe
- Susan Y. Sowels
San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Area 1
- Amanda Jane Butland
San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Area 4
- Susan Wong Ordway
San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Area 5
- Rachel Madeline Schneider Hurd
West Contra Costa Unified School District, Area 4
- Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy
West Contra Costa Unified School District, Area 5
- Caitlin Bourne Garibaldi
Acalanes Union High School District, District 1
- Nithin Iyengar
- Stacey Schweppe
Acalanes Union High School District, District 3
- Jennifer Chen
Acalanes Union High School District, District 5
- Nancy Jo Kendzierski
Liberty Union High School District, Area 3
- Susan Wallace
Liberty Union High School District, Area 4
- Tamera Nicole Weber
- Hillary Fairbairn Pedrotti
Brentwood Union School Board
- Steve Gursky
- Emil Johnson Geddes
- Scott S. Dudek
- Oxanna Pajoluk
Byron Union School Board
- Kimberly Carpenter
- Kari Lynn Cross
- Elyssa Simone Cross
Knightsen Elementary School Board
- Erik Hansen
Lafayette School Board
- Katty Foreman
- Robert Sturm
Moraga School Board
- Larry Paul Jacobs
- Martha Amen White
Oakley Union Elementary School District, Area 3
- Ann Gieseke Corridon
Oakley Union Elementary School District, Area 4
- Isaiah Mateas
- Craig Pearson
Oakley Union Elementary School District, Area 5
- Paul Domenic Didonato
Orinda Union School Board
- Edda Collins Coleman
- Mary Kateri Shogan
- John Chabalko
- Chloe Aftel
Walnut Creek School Board
- Heidi Hernandez Gatty
- Wenlei Hu Johnson
- Hourdad Ehsaninategh
- Aileen Abaya Ong
Crockett Community Services
- Nicholas Spinner
Diabo Community Services
- Alan Bonny
- Jessica Raefield
- Gregory Ray Lorenz
- Steve Lichliter
Discovery Bay Community Services
- William Perry Mayer
Kensington CSD
- Rodney Kenneth Paul
- Daniel Levine
- Adam Bastein
Kensington CSD-Short
- Rodney Kenneth Paul
- Adam Bastein
Moraga-Orinda Fire, D1
- Greg Hasler
Moraga-Orinda Fire, D 3
- John James Donnelly
- Steven Michael Danziger
- Michael Linney
Moraga-Orinda Fire D 4
- Mike Roemer
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District
- Bill Brian Clarkson
- Jason Alan Skeoch
- Ryan Crean
East Bay Mudd, D2
- Luz Maria Gomez
- Mark Allan Neveau
Ambrose Rec-Park
- Trina Hudson
- Mae Torlakson
East Bay Regional Park District, D6
- John Joseph Mercurio
East Bay Regional Park District, D7
- Collin Jay Coffey
- Mushda Faiez
- Inderprit Singh Sekhon
Pleasant Hill Recreation Park District
- Alexander Paul Nichol
- Derek Marten Wurst
- Robert “Bobby” Glover
- Sandra Marie Bonato
- Raul Alberto Ortega, Jr.
Central Contra Costa Sanitary, D2
- Michael Robert McGill
- Brian Henderson
Central Contra Costa Sanitary, D3
- Florence Wedington
Ironhouse Sanitary District
- Chris Lauritzen
- Paschal Chinaenye Iwuh
- Kerry Ann Harvey
- David Corridon
Rodeo Sanitary
- Angela Noble
- Maureen Margaret Brennan
Stege Sanitary
- Dwight Merrill
- Ted Lam
- Alex Borys
West County Wastewater D1
- Arto Rinteela
West County Wastewater D3
- David Manuel Alvarado
West County Wastewater D5
- Cheryl Sudduth
BART, District 2
- Mark Foley
Byron Bethany Irrigation D1
- Pete Petrovich
Byron Bethany Irrigation D3
- Tim Maggiore
Contra Costa Water District, D1
- Patricia Moore Young
Contra Costa Water District, D2
- Daniel Thomas Fitzpatrick
Diablo Water, Ward 2
- Conan Moats
Diabo Water, Ward 3
- Paul Seger
Diablo Water, Ward 4
- Jason Shaw
East Contra Costa Irrigation D1
- Michael Casey
East Contra Costa Irrigation, D4
- Kenneth Smith
Contra Costa County Elections — candidate list.
