By admin 
In the race for Sacramento County’s open Board of Supervisors seat, epidemiologist Flojaune Cofer has a lead over longtime City Councilmember Eric Guerra, former state lawmaker Deborah Oritz and computer programmer Tim Riley in early returns Tuesday.
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Cofer held roughly 38% of the vote while Guerra had 31%, Ortiz had 19% and Riley had 13% in results for the 1st District released in the first batch Tuesday.
The next update is expected from Sacramento County election officials at 10:15 p.m., with another around midnight, followed by additional results Friday and next week. If no candidate receives 50% plus one vote in the primary, the top two candidates will advance to a general election in November.
The winner will replace Phil Serna, who has held the seat for about 15 years. Serna decided not to run for re-election and endorsed Guerra. The district includes Sacramento’s downtown and midtown core and stretches from North Natomas to Tahoe Park. The board oversees an over $8 billion budget, which includes the Sheriff’s Office, jail, social services, health department and District Attorney’s Office.
In the 2nd District race, incumbent Patrick Kennedy holds a substantial lead against two relative political newcomers as he seeks a fourth term representing residents of the southern portion of the city of Sacramento and nearby communities.
Kennedy held 65% of the vote in early returns. Ronnie Bell had 19% and Brian Lajda had 16%. If Kennedy ultimately receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary, he will win the race without having to run in the general election in November.
Who are the 1st District candidates?
Each candidate’s plans for Tuesday evening offered a glimpse at how they felt about their chances in the race.
At about 8:15 p.m., Cofer stood near a television at an election night party at Lock and Key in Sacramento’s central city as the first batch of results aired. Cofer was having the party with Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang, who is challenging Rep. Doris Matsui for her seat.
Cofer said her voters tended “to be late voters.”
“I’ve never been in an election where I was on top when the first ballot dropped, so this is really fun,” Cofer said.
Cofer came on to the Sacramento political scene when she narrowly lost the Sacramento mayoral race in 2024 to Kevin McCarty. Before that, she served as the chair of a community advisory money tasked with making recommendations to the Sacramento council on how to spend new Measure U sales tax revenue.
The Sacramento Central Labor Council, SEIU 1021, California Association of Professional Scientists endorsed and donated to Cofer.
She is an epidemiologist working in public health, as her ballot designation stated. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth filed a lawsuit that blocked her from using “doctor” under her name on the ballot, then filed a complaint against her with the California Fair Political Practices Commission alleging she understated her income on a state form. She then filed a complaint against the State Bar of California against him for false statements. Both complaints are pending.
Cofer said, as she stood in Lock and Key before the first batch of votes were released, that she was out canvassing until just after 6 p.m. Tuesday.
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At about the time Cofer was knocking on her last door, Guerra was also canvassing. He spoke just past 6 p.m. Tuesday to The Bee as he stood on a 43rd Street sidewalk in East Sacramento. Guerra, who was wearing a Sacramento State shirt and holding a stack of flyers, planned to be in the field until about 7:50 p.m. He reasoned this was the last point where people could still make it to a drop box.
“Every vote counts,” Guerra said. “And as we saw, there’s still a lot of people who are working. They’ve got to get their ballots in.”
Guerra has been a member of the Sacramento City Council for over a decade, representing Tahoe Park, Little Saigon and areas of south Sacramento. In recent years he has helped affordable housing and a new homeless shelter open along blighted areas of Stockton Boulevard, revitalizing the thoroughfare. An immigrant, Guerra led the effort to create the FUEL Network, which offers free immigration legal services.
The Sacramento County Deputies Association, the Sacramento County Probation Association PAC, the California Statewide Law Enforcement PAC, and Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 donated to Guerra. He has also received contributions the California Apartment Association and the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
Guerra didn’t immediately respond to a call seeking comment after the first batch of votes was released.
Ortiz said Monday via text that she was planning to gather with supporters and friends the following day. She declined to be interviewed.
Ortiz, a Sacramento native, has served on Sacramento City Council and then in the state Legislature for eight years. She currently serves as president of the Los Rios Community College District board of trustees.
Ortiz, who is now 69, told The Bee in recent months that she’d been motivated to run for supervisor because of Donald Trump’s presidency.
“Everything I built my career around – to serve poor, access to health care, public health, reproductive health – is being eviscerated,” Ortiz said then. “It’s all being destroyed by Trump.”
Riley, a computer programmer who lives in Natomas, has never held elected office and self-funded a longshot campaign, said via email Monday that he had no plans to hold a gathering Tuesday.
“I’m tired and finished,” Riley wrote. “Tuesday nights are band practice until late. So, I’ll just come home.”
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 8:28 PM.