Four familiar candidates qualified to run for the March 18 special election to succeed Luis Chavez on the Fresno City Council.

The candidates who qualified by Friday’s deadline: Fresno Unified Trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, who is Chavez’s wife; Sanger Unified Trustee Brandon Vang; frequent candidate and member of the city’s parks commission, Jose Leon Barraza; and Paul Condon, listed on the ballot as “father.”

Chavez, in the middle of his second full term representing District 5, won election in November to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. He turned in his resignation letter on Dec. 5 — effective Jan. 7, the date of the first supervisor meeting — to allow the city council to call for the special election.

Jonasson Rosas, 40, who is an executive with the Westlands Water District, succeeded her husband on the school board by winning a 2016 election. She won re-election in 2020 and 2024.

There are nearly 35,000 registered votes in District 5, according to tracking service L2. Demographically, the district is 54% Hispanic/Portuguese; 21% White; 20% East and South Asian; and 2% Black.

Election Will Cost Taxpayers $194,000

Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus estimated the special election will cost $194,000.

If no candidate wins a majority on March 18, the Fresno City Council must call for a runoff election within 30 days of certification.

The special election will be conducted similarly to a general election, with voting centers, all voters receiving mail-in ballots, and a deadline to certify by April 4, 2025.

Vang, Barraza, Condon Frequent D5 Candidates

Voters in District 5 — which covers southeast Fresno — should be familiar with all of the candidates in the special election.

Chavez defeated Vang in the 2022 election, winning 55% to 45%.

Vang, 52, won his third term to the Sanger Unified school board in November, running uncontested. His race did not appear on the ballot. A former probation officer, Vang has worked only as a school board member since taking office in 2016.

Barraza, 72, has run three times for the D5 city council seat — not advancing past the 2010 primary against eventual winner Sal Quintero; losing to Chavez in a Nov. 2016 special election; and failing to advance past the 2018 primary election against Chavez. Barraza never earned more than 25% of the vote. He is the CEO of the Southeast Fresno Community Economic Development Association.

Condon, 49, also ran in the 2018 primary, finishing fourth in a four-person race with 4% of the vote.

A check of the Fresno County Superior Court docket finds Condon charged with several crimes in the last 20 years.

Some of the charges include a 2017 trespassing case that was dismissed; pleading no contest for a 2007 contempt of court/disorderly behavior charge, sentenced to 90 days in jail — it is unclear at this time how much time Condon actually served; and a 2006 disobeying a domestic relations court order that was eventually dismissed.

During the 2018 campaign, Chavez accused Condon of making threats and filed a police report. No charges were filed.

Jonasson Rosas, Vang, and Barraza are registered Democrats. Condon is independent.

If Jonasson Rosas or Vang is elected to the city council, the state Education Code allows for the school board to either order a special election, or make a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy. The provisional appointment would serve until a November 2026 election to fill the remainder of the term.

Fundraising

The candidates filed initial paperwork with the city to raise funds, although no candidate has reported any fundraising yet.

Jonasson Rosas just won re-election to the Fresno Unified school board in November. She reported transferring $5,914 from her school board account, although that number is not reflected yet on her city account.

Condon filed a form, anticipating he will raise less than $2,000.