State of California
Heather Ferbert, running for San Diego City Attorney
Heather is a lifelong “local government nerd” who attended Cal State Long Beach for her undergrad then moved to San Diego to attend Law School. Long before her legal pursuits, her intrigue in intricacies of daily life fueled her fascination with the inner workings of local government. Since then, Heather has been a chief deputy city attorney for the city of San Diego for almost 10 years! She is also a proud mother to a 14-year-old daughter and a proud San Diego resident!
Kostas Giannis Nikolas Batres-Schelcher, Future Leader
Although he is in tenth grade, Kostas’ desire to be involved in politics is driven by his compassion for others and his experience seeing the daily struggles faced by his community members in Long Beach, CA. His compassion for the well-being of people he doesn’t even know cuts deep into his core.
Darshana Patel, running for California State Assembly, District 76
Darshana is a woman deeply ingrained in her community of Rancho Peñasquitos. She is the first person of color to be elected to the Poway Unified School District board and holds a PhD in biophysics. To this day, she is heavily involved in the school communities of her children and holds a position as the president of the San Diego County School Boards Association.
California’s 76th Assembly District includes the cities of Escondido, San Diego, and San Marcos.
Mario Enriquez, running for Stockton City Council, District 4
Mario, a first-generation Latino with immigrant parents, holds a master’s degree in public administration from the USC School of Public Policy. He’s also a passionate youth leadership advocate and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. Mario is committed to enhancing the well-being of his fellow community members in his hometown of Stockton, California.
Lauren Cazares, running for City Council in La Mesa, California
Throughout her life in La Mesa, Lauren has been a Girl Scout, a high school golf team captain, and even student body president. Her family calls La Mesa home and her parents are business owners in this community. Lauren is a champion for LBGTQ+ rights at her alma mater and an ever-present positive force in her community.
Edith Villapudua, running for California State Senate, District 5
With over two decades spent traversing the diverse landscapes of the public sector, nonprofit organizations, private enterprises, and entrepreneurship, Edith has acquired a panoramic view of the challenges that often confront those she seeks to represent.
District 5 contains San Joaquin County, the Tri-Valley region, and parts of Alameda County.
Erica A. Stewart, Mayor of San Luis Obispo, California
Erica is a mother, an entrepreneur, a Cal Poly SLO Alumni, and Mayor, who has long been devoted to making San Luis Obispo a better home.
Erica’s aspiration to infuse professionalism and fresh perspectives into local governance was born from her belief that government should serve its citizens effectively and empathetically.
Dr. Ollie McCaulley, running for California State Senate, District 23
From military veteran to police officer and CEO, Ollie McCaulley’s diverse life journey has sculpted him into the person he is today—a compassionate leader committed to fostering unity, trust, and equity within his community through honest representation and unwavering leadership.
District 23 covers portions of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles Counties.
Jonathan Horton, running for Pasadena City Council, District 4
Jonathan’s vision for the historic streets of Pasadena is to create a harmonious blend of the old and the new, ensuring that both longtime and newly arrived residents can call these beloved streets home without the fear of displacement caused by skyrocketing housing costs.
xDistrict 4 covers the east side of Pasadena.
Cindy Wu, running for Board of Education in the Mountain View School District, California
Cindy says that she is a public servant, not a politician. While it is not always easy, Cindy believes that serving on her current board is fulfilling and exciting, especially when she is seeing the district reach new goals.
This school district serves the cities of El Monte and South El Monte.
Betty Duong, running for Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 2
Betty aims to be the voice of the people in the most impacted and diverse district. Her comprehensive platform centers on two key issues: the housing crisis and the growing need for behavioral health services.
District 2 includes portions of central, eastern, and southern San Jose.
Dr. Sharifa Batts, running for Long Beach City Council, District 8
Through her lifelong involvement in Long Beach as a parent, volunteer, and advocate, Sharifa has gained a unique perspective about the challenges faced and the solutions needed within the 8th district.
District 8 houses the neighborhoods of Bixby Knolls (north of San Antonio Dr.), Addams, Dairy, Lindbergh, Carmelitos, Paramount, Longwood, Coolidge Triangle and Sutter.
Nithya Raman, running for City Council in Los Angeles, District 4
Nithya believes that the best way to tackle homelessness is to focus on the dignity of unhoused people. She sees her campaign as a source of empowerment for people who feel helpless about the current homelessness crisis.
District 4 includes parts of Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, Miracle Mile, Fairfax, Hollywood Hills, Sherman Oaks, Hollywood, Cahuenga Pass, North Hollywood, Los Feliz, Griffith Park and Silver Lake.
Stephisha Ycoy-Walton, running for Alameda County Board of Education, Area 2
Stephisha believes that some of the people in positions of power within this district forget that the children are the ones they are supposed to be representing. Her goal is to become a Trustee for Alameda County and a representative specifically for the black and brown students of East Oakland.
Area 2 covers Alameda, a small portion of San Leandro North of Dutton Avenue, the Northwestern portion of Oakland, and the rest of Oakland below Area 3.
When was the last time that you voted all the way down the ballot?
Democrats have the White House and the Senate, but in 2024, we risk losing it all. Democracy, women’s rights, human rights, the environment, social security, and medicare are all on the line.
There is too much at stake for us not to vote all the way down the ballot just because we don’t know who is running. Down-ballot candidates receive the least votes in every election, yet they play some of the most critical roles in our communities. It’s time that we know who we are voting for.
Elect Good People is on a mission to make it easy for voters to get to know their local down-ballot candidates. We interview and showcase Democratic candidates on our social media and our website so that you are ready to vote when election time comes around. Our written showcases help voters get to know a candidate’s policies, personality, and human side. After all, down-ballot candidates are often caring, hopeful community members who genuinely want to improve the lives of those around them.
Be confident in your vote. Save the future. Elect Good People will help you get there.