Your guide to the June 2 primary
The city desk’s voter guide for the Davis Special Election and Yolo County primaries
By THE CITY NEWS DESK — city@theaggie.org
Introduction
With the June 2 primary and the Special Election for Measure V on the same day, the City News Desk has prepared an in-depth voter guide to several local issues that you should be aware of on your ballot. While this guide does not include gubernatorial race candidates, it does include information about Measure V, Congressional District 4 candidates, the Yolo Superior Court Judge and more.
Ballot drop box locations in Davis are located at Davis City Hall, Nugget Markets and outside of the Memorial Union on the UC Davis campus. Voting centers are also located at the UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), UC Davis Conference Center, Emerson Junior High School and Montgomery Elementary School, where individuals can vote in-person until 8 p.m. on the day of the primary (state law allows for you to still cast your ballot if you are in line by 8 p.m.) and drop off mail-in ballots.
Davis Special Election
Measure V
Measure V proposes Village Farms Davis, a new development focused on affordable housing, new infrastructure and stabilizing public schools. Village Farms Davis would be located at Pole Line Road and East Covell Boulevard and would develop over 400 acres of land into a neighborhood to border North Davis.
The stated goal of Measure V is to create more affordable housing in Davis, with a proposed construction of 1,800 homes with 20% of them priced between $400,000 to $500,000, which is below the current average home price in Davis.
Patrick Curzon, City of Davis Social Services Commission member and Village Farms Davis member, explained the necessity for new housing in Davis.
“There’s not enough housing opportunities for a new generation in Davis,” Curzon said. “Davis just does not have enough housing, and we have not built enough housing for two plus decades — this is the puzzle piece we need to fix this.”
Measure V focuses not only on affordable housing, but also on increasing public school stability. Davis public schools have been experiencing declining enrollment rates, and the Davis Joint Unified School District estimates that Village Farms Davis would help fill the growing enrollment gap, by allowing families to afford housing in Davis. Village Farms also plans to build a neighborhood Pre-K and an educational farm.
Finally, Measure V is placing an emphasis on improving infrastructure, making bike paths and roadways safer and preserving natural lands. Village Farms Davis plans on preserving over 50% of the site’s parks, habitats, greenbelts and agriculture. Additionally, the development plans to make major safety improvements to roadways, creating new bike paths, traffic light synchronization and more. Curzon explained the impact of these improvements for future residents and nonresidents alike.
“This is a great project for the people who get to live there, but also for the community as a whole,” Curzon said. “We would complete the Davis Bike Loop, new green paths would open up and new bike crossings. These improvements would provide a lot of things even for people not living there.”
Those who oppose Measure V, like the grassroots campaign “No on V”, state that Measure V has several significant downsides.
The campaign argues that Measure V will consist mainly of unaffordable housing, stating that the majority of housing built by the project will not be affordable for Davis residents.
“The vast majority of the project would be unaffordable housing units costing $740,000 up through $1.34 million per the project’s fiscal report [...], which means a payment of at least $6,000+ per month to cover the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, CFD [contract for difference] and other fees,” the “No on V” website reads.
The “No on V” website also argues that the Village Farms development could not be built in time to combat the loss of DJUSD students.
“The 15-year buildout would take much longer than the school district’s desired timeline for more housing,” the website reads.
Additionally, “No on V” argues that toxic chemicals from Old Davis Landfill/Burn Dump and Sewage Treatment Plant are leaking into the groundwater of the development, along with toxic soil being found at the plan’s proposed plot for Heritage Oak Park. “No on V” explores several other concerns for the development plan, including, but not limited to, flooding risks in the area, massive infrastructure costs, intense construction traffic, endangered habitats and more.
For more information on Measure V, refer to the City of Davis website.
Congressional District 4
Jimih Jones
Woodland resident Jimih Jones is a Republican candidate for Congressional District 4. Jones is a parts manager at a local Toyota dealership and has received multiple promotions from his start, climbing the dealership ranks to his current role. He is also the father of two children.
Jones ran for various elected offices, first campaigning for a Congressional District 4 seat in 2022. In 2024, he ran for the California State Senate.
Jones describes himself as a grassroots candidate who runs his campaign independently. His campaign website notes that Jones is “not backed by large interests or outside influence.”
Jones’ website states that his campaign message remains consistent from his previous campaigns, with a heavy focus on freedom.
During a previous run, Jones stated his campaign objectives.
“One of my objectives for this district is to reignite that fire of hope through truth,” Jones said.
On his campaign website, Jones provides various bill ideas. He proposes the 28th Amendment, which introduces term limits for the House of Representatives and the Judicial Branch. It mirrors the Executive Branch term limits and aims to provide an equal structure to all three branches.
In addition, Jones plans to establish a 12-member Committee of Counsel composed of residents from each county. The committee would collaborate on challenges facing local communities and provide generationally diverse views.
“The problems we face are real, but so is our ability to solve them when we choose respect, listen to one another, and work toward a shared future,” Jones states on his campaign website.
To learn more about Jones’ campaign, visit his website.
Mandy Ghusar
Mandy Ghusar is a Republican running for California’s 4th Congressional District. She does not currently have an official campaign website or available contact information.
Eric Jones
Eric Jones is a Democrat running for California’s 4th Congressional District, hoping to oust incumbent Mike Thompson. Jones is the only other Democratic candidate in the race, running on a platform advocating for new leadership and fresh ideas in the Democratic Party. The main pillars of his campaign are delivering affordability, ensuring accountability and restoring the American Dream through home ownership, according to the Eric Jones for Congress website.
Jones grew up in a military family, the son of a nurse and a disabled veteran. His family often relied on food stamps and Medicaid. After attending Yale University on scholarship, Jones moved to California and worked as a partner at Dragoneer Investment Group in San Francisco. Jones also started nonprofit organization American Dream Institute, which aims to fight extremism online.
Jones, a first-time candidate, acknowledged that his background is rooted in healthcare and communications rather than elected office, but argued that his lack of political ties allows him to remain accountable only to voters.
“I bring this promise: I have no one who will influence me except my constituents,” Jones told The California Aggie. “My only priorities are in this district and this county. There is no corporate priority. There's no corporate profit. [...] The only people I am accountable to are voters, the constituents — and that is so rare for a politician.”
When asked about why he is running against Thompson, Jones emphasized a broader issue with the current state of the Democratic Party.
“The Democratic Party needs more competition,” Jones said. “The California Democratic Party has never once endorsed against an incumbent. So their goal is to keep incumbents in seats, and frankly, to prohibit competition. Competition is democracy. That's the point. And the fact that we haven't had another viable Democrat run against Congressman Thompson in 30 years is not good.”
Some of Jones' opponents critique his work in finance, often calling him a “San Francisco Venture capitalist.” Others note that Jones has only lived in the district since 2020, scrutinizing his sources of funding — only 4.6% of which come from within District 4, as compared to Thompson’s 41%. Jones addressed some of these concerns, emphasizing that he has moved on from his time in the private sector.
“My opponent is trying to qualify me as this ultra-wealthy business guy,” Jones said. “I hope that in the fullness of my career, I'll be remembered for things that have nothing to do with the work I did in the private sector. I fully left that world behind, and people trying to compare me to other examples of men in their 60s who have billions of dollars is not the right comparison.”
To learn more about Jones’ campaign, visit his website.
Mike Thompson
Representative Mike Thompson is the incumbent candidate in the race for California’s 4th Congressional District. Thompson, who is a Democrat, has been serving the district since 1998. District 4 includes Napa, Lake Counties, parts of Solano, Sonoma and Yolo County; it has now been redistricted to also include Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties and a portion of Placer county following the approval of Proposition 50 in 2025.
Thompson dropped out of high school to join the United States Army, serving in the Vietnam War. After returning home, he attended Napa Valley Community College and graduated from California State University (CSU) Chico, later earning a master’s degree in public administration from CSU Chico, according to his website.
Thompson currently serves on the Ways and Means Committee, is a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Tax, a senior member of the Subcommittee on Health and the chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
The campaign for his 15th term has highlighted Thompson’s accomplishments during his time in Congress: such as delivering federal funding for projects in the district; successfully passing the GREEN Act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which enacts stricter gun regulations, mental health initiatives and funding for schools.
His opponents often critique his age and length of time in Congress, reflecting national concerns about the age of elected officials. Some also critique his center-right fiscal policies and his long-standing membership in the moderate Blue Dog Coalition.
Thompson has framed his 28 years in Congress as important experience that makes him an effective legislator, emphasizing that his experience will be needed in the upcoming term and referring to himself as “battle-tested.”
“We're going to have to battle Trump,” Thompson told The California Aggie. “We're going to have to battle his [Make America Great Again] MAGA enablers, and we need people who know what they're doing, know how to get things done and who are battle-tested. I am clearly battle-tested. I'm clearly effective.”
Some of Thompson’s endorsements include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Adam Schiff, Senator Alex Padilla and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Locally, he is endorsed by Davis Mayor Donna Neville and Davis College Democrats.
To learn more about Rep. Thompson’s campaign, visit his website.
Charles Uribe Jr.
Charles Uribe Jr., who goes by Chuck Uribe, is a Republican running for California’s 4th District. Uribe served in the U.S. Air Force from 1978 to 1985. He earned his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and his master’s degree from the University of Southern California (USC). Following his schooling, he dedicated four decades to teaching and serving as a member of his local school board.
His campaign slogan is “Your Voice, Your Vote, Real Change.” His platform consists of three main pillars: economy, environment and cost of living. The first pillar focuses on protecting agricultural infrastructure and expanding the markets for selling those products. His environmental focus includes preparing communities to manage wildfires. Lastly, he plans to partner with state and local governments to create more affordable housing for Californians.
Uribe’s website describes him as a problem solver.
“Chuck listens to his community, works across differences, and never loses sight of what matters: good jobs, quality schools, affordable healthcare, and a healthy environment for our families,” his website reads.
Uribe spoke about his pride in funding his own campaign.
“I’m working my hardest to appeal to the disaffected people in this district. I am the genuine grassroots candidate, with absolutely no financial backing from anyone,” Uribe said.
His goal is to be in communication with the residents of District 4, if elected.
“I promise to make every effort to be the most responsive, and the most effective congressional representative for our people if I get elected,” Uribe said.
To read more about Uribe, visit his campaign website.
John MacKenzie
Solano County resident John MacKenzie is a Republican candidate for the 4th Congressional District. MacKenzie served 10 years in the Marine Corps and 15 years in the Air Force Reserve. He continues to serve his community as a working healthcare professional, with a focus on mental health. MacKenzie is also a psychiatric instructor at Samuel Merritt University and currently serves as the president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Solano County.
His top priority is across-the-board affordability. MacKenzie addresses three core areas: housing, energy and tax. He plans to address the affordable housing crisis by building more homes, encouraging energy production to reduce gas prices and power bills and lowering income taxes and fees.
If elected, MacKenzie aims to demand a complete audit of government spending to find the root cause of government fraud and waste, according to his website.
“Too much money is wasted […] as our needs are going unmet,” MacKenzie’s campaign website reads.
MacKenzie noted that the underlying cause of many issues facing the U.S. is due to failure to invest in mental healthcare. While in office, he would strive to provide accessible and quality mental healthcare for all Americans. His campaign is rooted in service and shaped by his experience in the military and healthcare fields.
“He believes leadership means service — and he is ready to serve again,” MacKenzie’s campaign website reads.
To learn more about MacKenzie’s campaign, visit his website.
Note: All District 4 candidates are listed in reference to the Yolo County elections website.
Yolo County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor
Jesse Salinas
Incumbent Jesse Salinas is seeking reelection as the Yolo County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor (ACE). He was first appointed in 2016 and has successfully run twice for the position.
With more than 35 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sector, Salinas describes himself as a lifelong public servant.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Yolo County,” Salinas told the West Sacramento News Ledger. “I am running to continue delivering results with integrity and transparency.”
One of Salinas' focuses has been on increasing youth civic engagement. During his tenure, he hosted the Youth Empowerment Summit, a nationally award-winning program that teaches high school students the impact of voting and participating in local government. Salinas’ partnership with various offices developed a 12th-grade curriculum focusing on media literacy and civic education called the Yolo County Youth Civic Initiative (YCYCI).
Under Salinas’ leadership, Yolo County ACE are recognized as national leaders in removing restrictive covenant language from state official records. This consists of changing language that discriminates against individuals based on race or ethnic background in official records. This work has been replicated statewide, resulting in California Assembly Bill No. 1466 (2021-2022), which prohibits any form of discrimination against individuals when filling out housing and employment applications.
“I hope to continue my track record of success: providing secure elections, keeping updated and reliable public records and ensuring properties are fairly and equitably assessed so critical revenues can be provided to Yolo County cities and schools,” Salinas said.
To learn more about Salinas’ campaign, visit his website.
Yolo County Board of Supervisors District 2
Lucas Frerichs
Lucas Frerichs is running unopposed for a second term as Yolo County Supervisor. Frerichs has served as Mayor of Davis in 2022 and as a member of the Davis City Council from 2012 to 2022. In 2022, Frerichs was elected to his first term as Yolo County Supervisor.
Frerichs received his bachelor's degree at CSU Sacramento and earned his master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University. Before working in Davis, Frerichs served four different California assembly-members for over 15 years.
Frerichs explained the reasoning behind his original decision to run for Yolo County Supervisor.
“I originally ran for County Supervisor in 2022 because so much of the work that Yolo County does is helping vulnerable populations, and I have spent a lot of my career working on behalf of vulnerable populations,” Frerichs said. “I was also serving as Mayor of Davis at the time, and I felt like I could serve my community in a larger capacity by serving on the Board of Supervisors.”
During his time on the Davis City Council, he advocated for public safety, sustainability and economic growth. In his upcoming term, Frerichs plans to prioritize economic stability and basic needs.
“Short term, our county budget is a real challenge, and if you don't have your fiscal house in order, you typically cannot accomplish other goals — so that is a personal top priority for me,” Frerichs said. “We’re working to protect vital social services and human services programs, such as mental health services, CalFresh food benefits and supporting our immigrant neighbors, among important issues.”
For more information about Frerichs’ campaign, visit his website.
Yolo County Superintendent of Schools
Garth Lewis
Incumbent Superintendent Garth Lewis is running unopposed for the position of Yolo County Superintendent of Schools. Lewis has held the position since first being elected in 2019, and was reelected in 2023.
Lewis has previously worked as a substitute teacher, a full-time teacher and also held administrative positions within the Yolo County Office of Education before becoming superintendent. Alongside his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from CSU Sacramento, Lewis also holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership from UC Davis.
Before entering the field of education, Lewis discussed how his community positively shaped him through his early years.
“As a teenager, I ran away from home,” Lewis told The California Aggie. “I was taken in by some relatives in the Central Valley, and during that time I experienced a tremendous amount of support from my school, from my church community, from relatives that I was getting to know on a different level. And so, that level of support to that point in my life — [support that] I hadn’t had in that way — really made an impression on me.”
The primary role of the superintendent is to act as an intermediary between state and local districts, but other roles include fiscal planning and program implementation. One of the programs Lewis advocates for is the YCYCI, which aims to foster civic engagement in students of all ages.
“We are working on a project, the Yolo County Youth Civic Initiative [YCYCI],” Lewis said. “The whole goal is to engage our high school students and even younger [students] in learning about what it means to be civically engaged, how local government works [and] the role that literacy plays in informing the community around issues that affect their lives every single day from a policy perspective.”
Lewis also discussed the challenges facing schools across California today and the solutions still being considered to address these shortages.
“We have right now a shortage of educators in our system, particularly those who are qualified to teach in special education,” Lewis said. “We certainly have strategies, but this is a long-term challenge, and it’s going to require long-term solutions.”
Lewis also described how his role as superintendent gives him the ability to communicate with people in power and the joy he has in creating policies based on students.
“Sitting in this seat as the county superintendent allows me to work with […] a variety of leaders [and] elected officials in a way that helps our systems think about ways to work together for the benefit of the children and youth that we serve collectively,” Lewis said. “I enjoy it immensely.”
For more information on Lewis, visit the Yolo County Office of Education website.
Yolo Superior Court Judge, Office 1
Ryan Davis
Ryan Davis, a long-time Yolo County resident with decades of legal and courtroom experience, is running for Yolo Superior Court Judge, Office 1. Davis grew up in the City of Davis, and has lived there for over 40 years. After getting his master’s degree in philosophy from San Francisco State University, Davis attended UC Berkeley School of Law where he focused on criminal law. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Davis worked as a public defender and then began doing death penalty post-conviction work.
For the past several years, Davis has assumed the role of Court Commissioner at Sacramento Superior Court, which he highlights as a big stepping stone in his journey to the role of judge.
“I am already doing the work of a judge as a court commissioner,” Davis told The California Aggie. “I’ve got judicial experience, and I think that’s why I’ve got over 50 judges and commissioners endorsing my campaign. I’ve got a breadth of experience that I think helps prepare me to serve in any assignment because I have a lot of criminal experience in my background, civil litigation at the attorney general’s office, and now I’m doing family law as a judicial officer.”
Davis’ campaign highlights his extensive legal and judicial experience, which he has attributed to helping prepare him for this role. His campaign also highlights his deep local ties and commitment to serving the Yolo County community.
“My biggest inspiration by far is the goal of doing judicial work in the service of my home community,” Davis said. “I live in Davis; Yolo County has always been home [...] So, just the desire to serve my community is huge.”
Davis’ campaign also highlights his belief that all judges should treat everyone fairly and with respect.
“It’s important for anyone who becomes a judge to put on a new lens of neutrality,” Davis said.
Davis’ endorsements include Congressman Mike Thompson, former-Senator Lois Wolk, former-California State Assemblymember Helen M. Thomson, former-California State Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, Yolo County District 2 Supervisor Frerichs, Yolo County District 3 Supervisor Mary Sandy and more.
For more information on Davis’ campaign, visit his website.
Diane Ortiz
Diane Ortiz, a Yolo County Deputy District Attorney with 16 years of courtroom experience, is running for Yolo County Superior Court Judge, Office 1. A granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant who came to Yolo County to work in the fields, Ortiz has spent her entire career in service to the community that her family has called home for generations. She began her journey in public service at the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Academy before an injury shifted her course, leading her to spend nine years in administrative roles with the CHP while earning her J.D. from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento.
Ortiz’s campaign highlights her now long-established roots in the local legal community, as well as her judicial philosophy grounded in integrity, fairness and empathy. Having served in specialized roles including the Child Abduction Unit, family law court and mental health and addiction intervention courts, Ortiz shared her belief that prosecutors and judges alike are “ministers of justice” tasked with doing what is right.
A key priority of her campaign involves improving court efficiency and reducing crowded dockets, which underscores the importance of strict case preparation.
Another key aspect Ortiz highlights in her campaign is the importance of representation. As a Latina prosecutor, Ortiz speaks openly about the importance of having the bench reflect the community it serves. She notes that, while her qualifications are rooted in 16 years of working in the trenches of the legal system, her lived experience as a Latina woman in Yolo County gives her a unique perspective to connect with residents and build trust in the courts.
Ortiz’s endorsements include outgoing Yolo County Superior Court Judge Janene Beronio, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, the Yolo County District Attorneys Association, the Davis and Woodland Police Officers’ Associations and the Yolo County Deputy Sheriffs Association.
For more information on Ortiz’s campaign, visit her website.
Written by: The City News Desk — city@theaggie.org