Fresno City Hall can relax. A registered sex offender who contemplated running for city council failed to qualify for the ballot.

Rene Campos did not collect enough signatures to run for Fresno City Council District 7, Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus told GV Wire. Campos returned the other paperwork required to run but needed 20 signatures from voters.

Campos’ potential future colleagues at City Hall threw a fit when word spread that Campos — who would be a long shot anyway given the field and his background — could join them.

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, and a former Fresno City Council member, even introduced legislation to prevent registered sex offenders from running for office. She has not released specific language.

The deadline for most local races passed Friday afternoon. The primary is June 2. If a candidate for Fresno City Council or Fresno County supervisor wins a majority, the race is over and the winner will be sworn in next January.

If there is no majority, the top two candidates will move to the Nov. 3 runoff.

Fresno City Council District 7

Four candidates qualified to replace termed-out Nelson Esparza to represent east-central Fresno. Meanwhile, Esparza is running for the state Board of Equalization.

AJ Rassamni is president of the Blackstone Merchants Association and has made cleaning up homelessness in that area his top issue.

Nav Gurm is a newly minted attorney with the backing of Mayor Jerry Dyer. He previously worked as a city council staffer at City Hall.

Ariana Martinez Lott is a community activist who previously worked as a City Hall staffer for Miguel Arias.

Jason Keomanee has a low profile and a scant online presence. He ran for the position in 2022 but did not advance out of the primary.

Fresno City Council District 1

Three candidates have qualified so far, but the deadline for this race is extended to Wednesday because incumbent Annalisa Perea is not running for re-election. She is opting to run for state Assembly.

The district covers west-central Fresno.

Naindeep Singh is a Central Unified trustee and leader of the Jakara Movement. He has raised the most money so far.

Monte Forkas is a longtime Democratic Party activist and small-business owner.

Joe Hinojosa is an ADA coordinator for the city of Fresno.

Rob Fuentes had not officially qualified for the race as of Friday. He is a State Center Community College District trustee and a federal prosecutor.

Fresno City Council District 3

The city council district representing downtown and southwest Fresno is the most crowded, with six candidates qualifying. Incumbent Miguel Arias is termed out.

Joaquin Arambula has served as a state Assemblymember since 2016, representing Fresno. He seeks to continue his public service but recently said job stress led to a month in rehabilitation.

Keshia Thomas is a Fresno Unified trustee and educator.

Fernando Alvarez is a former school board member with the West Park Elementary School District. He also worked at the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

Jalen Swank works as an administrative caseworker for the Fresno County Department of Public Health.

Charles Montoya is a tradesman and lifelong city resident.

Larry Burrus is an engineering contractor and frequent City Council candidate. He has not advanced beyond the primary.

Fresno City Council District 5

District 5 is the only race with an incumbent running — Brandon Vang. He has three challengers in the district covering southeast Fresno.

Danielle Parra is a State Center Community College District trustee who recently moved into the district to run. She is also a local publicist.

The two other candidates have frequently run for office but never won — Jose Leon Barraza and Nickolas Wildstar.

Leon Barraza is a leader with the nonprofit Southeast Fresno Community Economic Development Association. He is also a Fresno parks committee member.

Wildstar, an entrepreneur, has run for city council, mayor, and governor.

Fresno County Supervisor District 1

Six candidates qualified to succeed Brian Pacheco, who is running for state Assembly. The district covers northwest Fresno County.

Mike Karbassi is the Fresno City Council president.

Maria Pacheco is the mayor of Kerman.

Eric Payne is a nonprofit executive and former SCCCD trustee.

Omar Hernandez is a staffer for Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, and a West Hills Community College District trustee.

Felipe Perea is a Firebaugh City Councilmember.

Lupe Flores is a Mendota Unified trustee.

Fresno County Supervisor District 4

Buddy Mendes opted not to run for re-election in the district that covers south Fresno County. He is endorsing former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.

Mims will face two mayors, a school board member and a political novice.

Alma Beltran is the mayor of Parlier and chair of the Fresno Council of Governments Policy Board.

Ray Leon is the mayor of Huron and a nonprofit executive.

Nick Sahota is a Selma Unified trustee.

Charlie Soto, who lives in Kingsburg, is a Navy veteran and works as an IRS agent. He previously ran unsuccessfully for Kingsburg City Council.

Because Pacheco and Mendes are not running, the deadline to file in their districts extends to Wednesday.

Other County Positions

Only one county position will have a competitive race — three candidates are running for superintendent of schools.

Incumbent Michele Cantwell-Copher has two challengers: former Clovis Unified and Central Unified Superintendent Eimear O’Brien and education professional Johnny Alvarado.

Only incumbents are running for the other countywide positions:

• Assessor-Recorder Paul Dictos
• Auditor-Controller/Treasurer Oscar Garcia
• County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus

The elections for sheriff and district attorney — held respectively by John Zanoni and Lisa Smittcamp — were moved to 2028 by state law. The county challenged the election date in court and lost.

Seven Judges Seats on the Ballot

The Fresno County Superior Court ballot is set, with voters facing seven different races — believed to be a record for a Fresno County ballot.

Because seven judges chose not to run for re-election, voters will decide their replacements. Six of the races have more than one candidate.

The candidates are:

Seat 3: Marc Kapetan, Rosalina Nunez

Seat 6: Ashley Paulson, Deidre Adams, Steven Ueltzen

Seat 7: Jeff Hammerschmidt, Curtis Sok, Jose Salazar

Seat 8: Daniel Brickey

Seat 9: Noelle Pebet, Eddie Ruiz

Seat 12: Miles Harris, Jennifer L. Smith

Seat 14: Jennifer Hamilton, Jamie Xiong-Vang

Incumbents Monica Diaz, Houry Sanderson, Melissa Baloian, Gabriel Brickey, Amy Guerra, Lisa Gamoian, Jeffrey Hamilton, James Kelley, Raj Badesha, Mary Vasquez, and Maria G. Diaz did not draw challengers.

Their names will not appear on the ballot and will be considered re-elected to another six-year term.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently nominated Guerra to the Fifth District Court of Appeal. If confirmed, Newsom would choose her successor on the Superior Court bench.

A final candidate list for state offices, Assembly, state Senate and Congress will be released March 26, Kus said.

Other Election Notes

• Supporters of a state referendum requiring voter identification said they have enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
• Three candidates are running for the open Kings County Supervisor District 1 seat: Garrett Gilcrease, Stefanie Silveira Chavez, and Martin Chavez. Silveira Chavez is sister-in-law to U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the San Joaquin Valley Sun reported. Incumbent Joe Neves is not running for re-election.