Candidates react to unofficial results
Unofficial election results from the March 5 primary election have been tabulated and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors will see many returning faces and a new one as well.
Yolo County voters made their voices heard as they selected Mary Vixie Sandy, Sheila Allen and Angel Barajas to represent Districts 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Supervisor Oscar Villegas, who ran unopposed, will also be returning to the board to represent District 1.
Supervisor Sandy received 55.58% of the vote to beat out Xóchitl Rodriguez Murillo for the District 3 seat. As of Friday afternoon, Sandy had a total of 4,655 votes.
“I am proud to have earned the support of the voters and constituents of the 3rd Supervisorial District,” Sandy said. “Being chosen to serve on the board is a privilege, allowing me to advocate for the concerns of the community and contribute to the continued enhancement of Yolo County. It is a great honor to work alongside county staff and my esteemed colleagues on the board.”
Sandy was appointed to the board in October 2023 by Gov. Gavin Newsom following the unexpected death of her husband, Gary Sandy, in mid-August. With her appointment, Sandy became the first woman to represent District 3 and to serve on the Board of Supervisors since 2011.
During her campaign, Sandy said she had a great time connecting with voters, whether it was over the phone, at their doors, or while out in the community.
“I extend my deepest gratitude to every one of my supporters who came together in a short period of time to make this a successful campaign,” she stressed. “Together, we have proven that when a community comes together with a common purpose there are no limits to what we can achieve. As we move forward, I am committed to honoring the trust of the people I serve and representing our collective interests with integrity and dedication.”
Sandy also noted she looks forward to bringing her experience to the table as she finishes out the year and enters her new term.
“I'm ready to build on the positive momentum we've developed thus far,” Sandy said. “I'm eager to engage directly with my constituents, foster relationships, and collaborate closely with them. It's important for them to know they
have a dedicated county supervisor committed to representing them at the board.”
Allen defeated opponents Antonio De Loera-Brust and Nathalie “NJ” Mvondo to win the District 4 seat. Allen picked up 5,420 votes, which equates to 60.13% of the votes.
“I am so honored that so many residents of Davis supported and voted for me,” Allen said. “They understood the importance of the 30 years of communitybased Yolo County work that I have done for persons from birth to older adults and I will continue to serve them in this new role.
“I look forward to continuing to work with our community and hearing from them as I move forward into this new role. As a mom and nurse I am excited to be in a position of leadership to bring these new perspectives to the board as so much of what the county does is related to health and support of families.”
Allen currently serves as deputy supervisor to current District 4 Supervisor Jim Provenza. Provenza announced last year that he would not be seeking reelection.
Allen met Provenza 18 years ago while serving together on the Davis School Board. The pair have worked together on important issues for years, including starting the nonprofit Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, the work for older adults and persons with disabilities through the Yolo County Commission on Aging and Adult Services and expanding the Yolo Adult Day Health Center. Provenza hired Allen to be his deputy two years ago.
Through her work as a program supervisor at Yolo County Public Health and leading the Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, Allen possesses a deep knowledge of health and human services in the county. However, she said serving as deputy has greatly prepared her to take over the seat, allowing her to learn about other important areas of the county such as water, roads, climate resilience and rural and agricultural issues.
“We knew this would be his last term and this role gave me the opportunity to see all aspects of Yolo County and the role of the supervisor more deeply,” Allen explained. “It has been a great orientation to the role so that I can hit the ground running in January of 2025. I look forward to continuing
in my District 4 deputy supervisor role through the rest of 2024 as Jim serves out his term.”
Allen said she is excited to represent the people of District 4 and serve all of Yolo County.
“My life's work has been in service to Yolo County and I look forward to using this knowledge and experience to meet the needs of the people who live and work here,” Allen emphasized.
Supervisor Barajas completed his reelection campaign, garnering 3,268 or 71.29% of the vote to defeat challenger Paul Bridge for the District 5 seat.
Barajas was first elected to the board in 2020 and will be completing his first term at the end of this year.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to have been reelected as Yolo County Supervisor, District 5,” Barajas said. “It's a humbling experience to know that my constituents have placed their trust in me once again to represent their interests and work to build a better Yolo County. There is a great sense of responsibility and pride in having received the backing of Woodland and rural residents, whom I represent. It's a reaffirmation of the positive work we've done during my first term as county supervisor.”
With his second term on the horizon, Barajas said he is “excited to continue the progress we've made and to tackle new challenges head-on.” During his first term, Barajas saw to the completion of several projects such as the Knights Landing Park, repavement of rural residential roads, the increase of fire service support and valuable partnerships with nonprofits, governmental agencies, businesses and agricultural communities.
He noted he is “particularly excited” about working on sustainable environmental and economic projects, improving access to essential services, protecting natural resources and fostering a stronger sense of unity and collaboration within the community.
“To the voters of Yolo County District 5, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and trust,” Barajas said. “Your voices and concerns are at the forefront of my priorities, and I am committed to being the most effective representative for each and every one of you. Together, we can achieve great things, and I am excited to embark on this journey with you once again. The privilege is mine.”