Who’s running for Fresno County supervisor seats in 2026? Here are the candidates
Two seats on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors are up for grabs in the 2026 primary election.
District 1 Supervisor Brian Pacheco has announced he is running for state Assembly, and District 4 Supervisor Buddy Mendes is not seeking re-election.
The primary election will take place June 2. The filing window for candidates seeking office in 2026 is open now through March 6 at 5 p.m.
To secure a seat, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote in the primary election. If no one gets a majority of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to the Nov. 3 election.
Here’s a look at who is considering running for a seat on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in the 2026 primary election.
Fresno County District 1 supervisor candidates
Maria Pacheco, the first Latina and Indigenous mayor of Kerman, is planning to run for the District 1 seat. She also works as a senior field representative for Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno.
“This is a new day for Fresno County,” Pacheco said in a statement to The Bee. “The talent, heart, and potential are already here in our neighborhoods, our workers, our families, and our young people.”
Before taking office in 2022, she worked as a human resources manager and nonprofit executive director.
“I’m running for the Board of Supervisors because what we need now is leadership with vision and work ethic, leadership that listens, brings people together, and turns that potential into real opportunity: good jobs that support families, affordable housing people can actually access, reliable transportation, and programs that help families not just get by, but get ahead.”
After 21 years on the Mendota Unified School District Board of Trustees, Lupe Flores intends to run for the District 1 seat.
Flores served as school board president through the COVID-19 pandemic and has worked for both the California Labor Commissioner’s Office and the Employment Development Department.
“Having lived my entire life in Mendota, I possess firsthand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing rural towns, unincorporated areas, and communities in West and North Fresno,” she said in a statement to The Bee.
Flores has identified Measure C and sustainable funding for public safety as priority issues.
Her husband, John Flores, served two terms on the Mendota City Council.
“I am a strong advocate for public education and am committed to ensuring that every student receives a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,” Flores said
Eric Payne, executive director of the nonprofit organization The Central Valley Urban Institute, is set to run for the District 1 seat.
“When farms and small businesses struggle, our entire local economy feels it,” Payne said in a statement to The Bee. “Fresno County needs leadership that’s smart, compassionate, and focused on the basics people rely on public safety, public health, and an economy that works for everyone.”
Payne is also a former member of the State Center Community College District Board of Trustees.
His priorities include standing up for agriculture, broadening the counties economic base, creating more jobs, expanding access to affordable housing, investing in child care, improving transportation and infrastructure and tackling homelessness and mental health challenges with solutions that are “humane, effective, and accountable,” Payne said.
“This is a moment that calls for steady, experienced leadership focused on getting real results and building a future where families and businesses can thrive here, I was born to serve, and I’m ready to deliver on building an economy where people can afford to live, work, and raise a family,” he said.
Former Firebaugh mayor and current council member, Felipe Perez, plans to run for the District 1 seat.
“Too many politicians have forgotten the most basic responsibility of public service: to serve all people, not just a select few,” Perez said in a statement to The Bee. “They already know what is happening in the San Joaquin Valley: the retirement of agricultural land, the loss of farmworker jobs, and the growing economic insecurity facing working families.”
He has also worked as a project coordinator at Fresno State’s Office of Community and Economic Development and general manager of Biola, a small community west of Fresno.
“My focus is on people’s lives, creating better-paying jobs than those available today, expanding real workforce training tied to opportunity, and bringing good jobs closer to where families live,” he said. “Our communities deserve dignity, stability, and an economy that works for them, not against them.”
In December, two-term Fresno City Councilmember and northwest Fresno native, Mike Karbassi, announced his bid for District 1 on KMJ’s podcast Broeske & Musson.
“My priorities are public safety, fiscal responsibility, and delivering real results for District 1 families,” Karbassi said in a statement to The Bee. “Since 2019, I have served on the Fresno City Council, where I’ve built a record of bringing resources and practical solutions back to our neighborhoods.”
Previously, he had announced intentions to run for Fresno County Clerk to replace James Kus, whom he had publicly criticized. His bid for county supervisor effectively dropped him out of that race.
“As Supervisor, I will focus on supporting law enforcement and first responders, strengthening clean drinking water access and supporting our agricultural economy, fixing roads and infrastructure, and expanding access to affordable housing and mental health services,” he said. “County government must be transparent, efficient, and accountable to those we serve.”
West Hills Community College District Trustee Omar Hernandez has also been rumored to be running for the District 1 seat, but could not be reached for comment.
Fresno County District 4 supervisor candidates
Alma Beltran, mayor of Parlier for the past 12 years, has filed paperwork to raise funds for the District 4 seat.
Beltran currently serves as chair of the Fresno Council of Governments, chair of the Fresno County Rural Transportation Authority, and as a board member of the San Joaquin Valley Policy Board.
“District 4 has been overlooked for too long,” Beltran said in a statement to The Bee. “Crumbling roads, unsafe routes to school, and aging infrastructure impact families’ safety and quality of life. As Supervisor, I will prioritize safe communities, well-maintained roads, clean drinking water, transparent government, and expanded economic opportunity for working families.”
Charlie Soto, an IRS auditor, Navy veteran, Fresno State grad and Kingsburg resident, has also pulled papers to throw his hat in the ring for District 4.
Soto’s priorities include safer roadways, water access, recharging groundwater, providing homeless veterans with temporary housing and social assistance and providing businesses with incentives to come to Fresno County, he told The Bee in a statement.
“The safety, welfare, and prosperity of our residents is key to how we function not only as a county but as a society,” Soto said. “We have a long colorful history of immigrants in this country and the Great State of California that is key to how we function.”
Soto said Immigration and Customs Enforcement poses a threat to safety and diversity and, if elected, he would protest ICE’s presence.
Former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims announced her intent to run for Mendes’ seat at a news conference in November, where he announced he would not seek another term.
Mims retired from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office in 2022 after 42 years in law enforcement, 16 as sheriff. She was the first woman to be hired as an officer in Kerman, and later joined the sheriff’s office in 1983.
“My experience as your Sheriff for 16 years gives me the knowledge and a unique perspective on dealing with issues facing our county,” she said in a statement to The Bee.
Mims’ top priorities include public safety, protecting agriculture, delivering core services for the county’s families while protecting taxpayers’ money, she said.
“The family farm is the backbone of our county,” Mims said. “Protecting our food and helping farmers be productive is critical for our economy and jobs. Whether it’s fighting for sound water policies, reducing overburdening regulations or protecting them from theft, farmers know I will fight for them.”
Selma Unified Trustee Narinder Singh Sahota is considering a run for the District 4 seat because he said “there are several major issues facing our county that need strong, practical leadership,” but has not officially filed paperwork yet.
“As a member of a minority community, I also see the need to address long-standing issues impacting underserved populations, including labor concerns in agriculture,” Sahota told The Bee in a statement. “With recent federal immigration changes, Fresno County must work proactively to support farmers and ensure a stable, legal workforce so agriculture can continue to thrive.”
Sahota pointed out issues Fresno County farmers face, including SGMA water regulations, rising costs, labor shortages and low commodity prices. He also said infrastructure across Fresno County needs improvement to support quality of life and economic growth.
“I believe the experience I’ve gained working on complex issues, managing public resources, and delivering results can be applied at the county level to better serve our communities,” Sahota said.
Four Fresno City Council seats will also be on the ballot in the 2026 primary election.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 11:40 AM.