Welcome to OC Action’s 2022 Voter Guide! OC Action is an AAPI-Latinx-Labor-Environmental Justice Alliance working in Orange County to build progressive political power.
For the November 2022 General Elections, we have engaged local candidates across the county and made recommendations for those who are aligned with our values protecting True Democracy, Just Transition, Affordable Housing, Public Education, Immigrant Justice and Healthy Lives.
Endorsements
Orange County Board of Supervisors
The Orange County Board of Supervisors manages the government at the county level. Services of the county government include public health, foster care, job training, and administration of social service programs such as Medi-Cal or CalFresh (EBT). The County manages a budget of $8 billion to administer these services.
For example, a Supervisor’s commitment to mental health can mean the difference between an underfunded and understaffed public mental health program that takes months to assign a caseworker, or one that meets the needs of the community.
Supervisors representing District 2, District 4, District 5 are up for elections in 2022.
Vicente Sarmiento
for Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Vicente Sarmiento is Santa Ana’s Mayor. He led the way for more affordable housing, renter protections, and protecting undocumented immigrants through a legal defense fund.
He is also an attorney working on bankruptcy law and local nonprofits, and previously Santa Ana’s City Councilmember. He is the child of Bolivian immigrants.
Priorities
- help homeless people find shelters and get rehabilitation and health services
- improve health and wellness services in underserved communities
- open communication, transparency and accountability
Endorsements
- Katrina Foley, Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2
- United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324
- Planned Parenthood Community Action Fund of Orange County and San Bernardino Counties
Anaheim City Council
Anaheim has six City Council members and a Mayor. City Council members establish city policy, pass ordinances, and vote on the budget.
They set funding priorities for the government at the city level, including services like parks, police, firefighters, housing, emergency medical services, roads and transportation.
Voters will elect the Mayor and City Council members for Districts 2, 3, 6 in 2022.
Al Jabbar
for Anaheim City Council, District 3
Al Jabbar works managing Orange County Supervisor Doug Chaffee’s office as his Chief of Staff, expanding city infrastructure and addressing health care needs.
Previously, Jabbar was elected as an Anaheim Union High School District Trustee. He was born in Sri Lanka, and his family moved to the U.S. in pursuit of a better college education.
Priorities
- increase transparency in City government to prevent corruption
- inclusionary zoning for first-time homebuyers to address affordable housing
- allow social workers, not the police, to respond to mental health related 911 calls
Endorsements
- Dr. Jose F. Moreno, Anaheim City Council Member
- UNITE-HERE Local 11
- Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association
Anaheim Union High School District
The Anaheim Union High School District encompasses 17 junior high schools and high schools in some portions of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, La Palma, and Stanton.
School Boards approve school related decisions: budgets and set budget priorities, textbooks, and school schedules. They set the vision for schools and help students achieve their potential.
In the 2022 elections, voters will elect School Board Members of Trustee Areas 1, 2, 5.
Jessica Guerrero
for Anaheim Union High School, District 1
Jessica Guerrero works advising on education, public safety and other policy to the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Guerrero is the child of immigrant parents from Mexico, and has experience teaching students at UC Irvine.
Priorities
- education with emphasis on college, career, and life readiness
- address needs of students on each campus through the Community Schools Model
- protect Ethnic Studies curriculum
Endorsements
- Sharon Quirk-Silva, California Assemblymember (AD-65)
- Dr. Jose F. Moreno, Anaheim City Council Member
- Al Jabbar, Anaheim Union High School District Board President
Fullerton City Council
Fullerton has five City Council members. City Council members establish city policy, pass ordinances, and vote on the budget. The Council appoints a City Manager, who oversees the administration of the city; and selects one council member to serve as the Mayor.
They manage the government at the city level, including services like parks, police, firefighters, housing, emergency medical services, roads and transportation.
In the 2022 elections, City Council members for Districts 3 and 5 will be elected.
Shana Charles
for Fullerton City Council, District 3
Shana Charles is a university professor teaching public health policy at CSU Fullerton, while also working on policy with local agencies.
Priorities
- healthy and sustainable communities
- transparency and accountability in government
- connecting communities to educational resources
Endorsements
- Sharon Quirk-Silva, Assemblymember (AD-65)
- United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 324
- The Bench Project
Garden Grove Unified School District
The Garden Grove Unified School District encompasses 70 elementary, intermediate and high schools in the majority of Garden Grove and other adjacent cities.
School Boards approve school related decisions: budgets and set budget priorities, textbooks, and school schedules. They set the vision for schools and help students achieve their potential.
In the 2022 elections, voters will elect School Board Members of Trustee Areas 2, 4.
Mark Paredes
for Garden Grove Unified School District
Trustee Area 2
Mark Paredes works serving the community as a healthcare manager.
He was a Planning Commissioner for Garden Grove and is involved with the Heritage Museum of OC. His family emigrated from the Philippines seeking a better education.
Priorities
- mental health services for students and teachers
- careers for all youth and technical education
- school-based health centers and community organization-led activities in schools
Endorsements
- Garden Grove Education Association
- United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 324
- Democratic Party of Orange County
Orange County Water District
The Orange County Water District manages underground water that is the source of water in 19 cities in northern and central Orange County. Ten board members provide direction to personnel to ensure water is safe and affordable.
In the 2022 elections, voters will elect board members for Divisions 1, 5, 7.
Ray Hiemstra
for Orange County Water District, Division 1
Ray Hiemstra works at the Orange County Coastkeeper, a nonprofit organization protecting water quality in OC. Previously, he served at the City of Huntington Beach Environmental Board.
Priorities
- sustainable use of existing local water, instead of always pursuing new water sources
- to ensure that all residents have a right to clean, affordable water
Endorsements
- Orange County League of Conservation Voters
- Megan Yoo Schneider, Board President, Municipal Water District of Orange County
- Karl Seckel, Director, Municipal Water District of Orange County
Irvine City Council
Irvine has four City Council members and a Mayor. City Council members establish city policy, pass ordinances, and vote on the budget. The Council appoints a City Manager, who oversees the administration of the city.
They manage the government at the city level, including services like parks, police, firefighters, housing, emergency medical services, roads and transportation.
Every two years, the mayor and two city council members are elected at-large. Of the 6 candidates running for City Council in 2022, the two candidates who get the most votes will be elected.
Kathleen Treseder
for Irvine City Council
Kathleen Treseder is a professor teaching Biology and Climate Change at UC Irvine. She worked with groups to establish the renewable energy program OC Power Authority. Her programs help college sexual violence victims and women and marginalized groups in Orange County.
Priorities
- a clean and sustainable environment
- a strong economic and job market recovery from COVID-19
- transparency in government
Endorsements
- U.S. Representative Katie Porter (CA-45)
- Katrina Foley, Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2
- College Democrats of UC Irvine
Santa Ana City Government
Santa Ana’s city government has a Mayor and six City Council members. City Council members establish city policy, pass ordinances and vote on the budget. The Mayor proposes and administers the budget, appoints department heads and oversees the administration of the city.
They manage the government at the city level, including services like parks, police, firefighters, housing, emergency medical services, roads and transportation.
In the 2022 elections, voters will elect the Mayor and City Council members for Wards 2, 4 and 6.
Sal Tinajero
for Mayor of Santa Ana
Sal Tinajero works at the Santa Ana Unified School District. He has served in the Santa Ana City Council and School Board, and supported policies for affordable housing and protection of immigrants.
Priorities
- redirect funds towards health and youth agencies to respond to mental health emergencies instead of the police
- create civic engagement and public speaking programs for youth
- affordable housing and housing protections
Endorsements
- Vicente Sarmiento, Mayor of Santa Ana
- Rigoberto Rodriguez, Santa Ana Unified School District President
- Planned Parenthood Community Action Fund of Orange County and San Bernardino Counties
Benjamin Vazquez
for Santa Ana City Council, Ward 2
Benajmin Vazquez teaches Ethnic Studies and U.S. History at Valley High School, where he started the Ethnic Studies program. He is a board member of El Centro Cultural de Mexico.
Priorities
- affordable housing for rent and to buy under a housing covenant
- police oversight with investigative and subpoena powers
- more libraries, after school programs and summer jobs for youth
Endorsements
- Vicente Sarmiento, Mayor of Santa Ana
- California Working Families Party
- Democratic Party of Orange County
Manuel Escamilla
for Santa Ana City Council, Ward 6
Manuel Escamilla works as a Policy Advisor to Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, and previously worked as City Planner for Santa Ana. He is a union member of the engineer’s union. (IFPTE Local 21)
Priorities
- assign non-violent 911 calls to social workers
- restore library services at McFadden Library and new site at Delhi
- remediation to lead pollution in the city
Endorsements
- UNITE-HERE, Local 11
- California Working Families Party
- Democratic Party of Orange County
Santa Ana Unified School District
The Santa Ana Unified School District encompasses 48 elementary, intermediate and high schools in Santa Ana and some adjacent cities.
School Boards approve school related decisions: budgets and set budget priorities, textbooks, and school schedules. They set the vision for schools and help students achieve their potential.
In the 2022 elections, voters will elect the School Board Member of Trustee Area 4. (Area 5 also was up for elections, but only one candidate filed, winning automatically.)
Katelyn Brazer Aceves
for Santa Ana unified School District, Trustee Area 4
Katelyn Brazer Aceves works at the Orange County Department of Education helping students and families with educational and social support resources.
She was involved at the immigrant rights organization, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), providing community education on healthcare access and the DACA program.
Priorities
- supporting students’ mental wellness
- helping students be ready for college and life through mentorship and technical education
Endorsements
- Rigo Rodriguez, President, Santa Ana Unified School District
- Vicente Sarmiento, Mayor of Santa Ana
- Santa Ana Educators Association