Review note: Mike Karbassi for Fresno County Supervisor and Maria Pacheco for Fresno County Supervisor may have more bias because they are advocacy voter guides compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.
- fresnocountyca.gov (opens in a new tab)Fresno County elections office — certified June 2, 2026 primary results
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Central Valley election coverage, Assembly District 27
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Fresno Supervisors District 1 Runoff Between Karbassi and Pacheco Is Likely
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Karbassi Stepping Down as Fresno City Council President
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Janz Says Fresno City Prosecutors Can Now Carry Firearms on the Job, Karbassi Disagrees
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Fresno County Supervisor Race: Karbassi Outraises Pacheco (used here only for Karbassi's 'proven record' quote)
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — Kerman Mayor Objects to ICE Language in Law Enforcement Proclamation
- gvwire.com (opens in a new tab)GV Wire — This Busy Fresno State Student Is Mom to Six and Mayor of Kerman
- karbassiforsupervisor.com (opens in a new tab)Mike Karbassi for Fresno County Supervisor — campaign site
- pachecoforfresno.com (opens in a new tab)Maria Pacheco for Fresno County Supervisor — campaign site
Last updated September 24, 2026.
County
Fresno County Board of Supervisors, District 1
This person is one of five supervisors who govern Fresno County. They vote on the county budget. They also oversee health and social services. They set land use rules for unincorporated areas.
Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi led the June 2 primary with 32.7%. Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco took 28.5%. Four other candidates split the rest, so the top two meet again on November 3. This is the seat's first runoff since 2014.
The winner joins Fresno County's five-member Board of Supervisors for a four-year term, representing the county's mostly rural northwest — Kerman, Firebaugh, Mendota, San Joaquin and part of the city of Fresno. The board sets the county budget, oversees public health and social services, and controls land use in unincorporated areas outside the county's cities.
Neither candidate is the incumbent — Brian Pacheco (no relation to Maria Pacheco) is leaving the seat to run for the Assembly. Karbassi, a two-term city councilmember who just stepped down as council president, led fundraising and built a coalition spanning labor and business; Pacheco, a sitting city mayor, works as a field representative for the state legislator backing Pacheco's campaign. The choice is between two already-elected local officials, not an outsider challenge.
Mike Karbassi
Mike Karbassi is a Fresno City Councilmember representing District 2. He served two terms as council president, a rare stretch under the council's rules. He stepped down from that post in March 2026 to run full time, but he kept his council seat. He says he helped ease tension between the city and county to bring down living costs and expand housing.
He says voters want results, not more talk. He built a coalition of business, labor and law enforcement support. In August, he criticized the city attorney's decision to let city prosecutors carry firearms off duty. He said the move was premature since there was no formal council process yet. The city attorney said prosecutors don't work in city owned buildings, so the change didn't need council approval.
He promises to keep investing in public safety and hold response times steady. On homelessness, he promises to keep moving people into housing and treatment instead of leaving encampments in place. He also promises reliable neighborhood services, including road repairs and cleanup of illegal dumping.
Maria Pacheco
Maria Pacheco is the two term Mayor of Kerman, a city inside District 1. They are the daughter of farmworkers and a mother of six. They became a first generation college student and earned a social work degree from Fresno State. They work as a field representative for state Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria.
Pacheco says they want to bring their experience running Kerman to the county level for families in western Fresno County. In January, a police appreciation proclamation at their own council meeting included language honoring immigration officers. They publicly objected and asked that it be corrected. City staff called it a mistake and issued a new version without that language.
Pacheco promises more sheriff deputies and stronger emergency response for western Fresno County. They promise job training and infrastructure investment aimed at that part of the county. They also promise to streamline housing permits, protect renters and keep water reliable for farms.
Your pick
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.