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City of Paradise · Statewide General Election

Paradise Town Council

This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.

On the ballot

This person would hold one of two open, at-large seats on Paradise's five-member Town Council for a full four-year term (Dec. 2026-Dec. 2030). Paradise, a Butte County general-law town, is still rebuilding from the Nov. 8, 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed roughly 18,800 structures and cut the town's population from over 26,000 to under 5,000; the town has since recovered to roughly 9,000 residents. The Council chooses a Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its own members rather than electing either position directly, so the Mayor's seat is not up this cycle, and neither Town Clerk nor Town Treasurer is a Paradise elected office.

Seven candidates are running for two open, at-large seats on Paradise's Town Council: incumbents Steve Crowder and Ron Lassonde face five challengers -- Alexandra Bern, Serra Blaine, William Flores, Shelley Silva, and Andrew "Andy" Waldrop.

Paradise, a Butte County general-law town, is still rebuilding from the Nov. 8, 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people, destroyed roughly 18,800 structures, and cut the town's population from over 26,000 to under 5,000; it has since recovered to roughly 9,000 residents. Its five-member Town Council is elected entirely at-large -- there's one combined ballot line for both open seats, not separate district races -- to staggered four-year terms. The Council chooses a Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its own members each year rather than electing either position directly, so the Mayor's race isn't separately on this ballot even though sitting Mayor Steve Crowder is one of the two incumbents running for his underlying Council seat.

Voters may vote for up to two of the seven candidates; the two highest vote-getters win the two seats. Both incumbents are running for re-election rather than either seat opening up, so this is a head-to-head test of the sitting Council against five challengers, not an open-seat race. A seven-candidate field for two seats is a notably large one for a town of Paradise's size -- consistent with how central the pace and direction of fire recovery is to local politics right now: every one of the seven candidates' own filed statements references the fire or the rebuilding effort in some way.

Steve Crowder

Steve Crowder is the incumbent Mayor and a sitting Council member seeking another term. First elected to Council two days before the 2018 Camp Fire, he has since served as Vice-Mayor and Mayor, and with his wife Lori runs an embroidery and shirt-printing business in town. In his own candidate statement he says he has "stepped away from my business to devote 100% of my time to the needs of our town" over the last six years, citing extensive work with FEMA, CalOES, and recovery contractors, and crediting himself with a successful push for a federal tax exemption on the town's Fire Victim Trust payouts.

Strengths

Nearly eight years on Council spanning the fire and recovery, including terms as Vice-Mayor and Mayor, plus hands-on FEMA and CalOES relationships built through years of recovery work.

Trade-offs

As the longest-serving candidate, he owns the pace of a recovery still visibly incomplete eight years on; he's asking voters to trust continuity over a change in direction.

Keep in mind

He was elected two days before the Camp Fire and spent that day helping evacuate residents, calling himself "a Camp Fire Survivor myself." No 2026 news coverage beyond his statement and town bio page was found.

Ron Lassonde

Ron Lassonde is the second incumbent seeking re-election. Elected to Council in Nov. 2022 after serving as a Paradise Planning Commissioner and an alternate on the Measure V Oversight Committee, he spent more than 21 years as an Air Force officer, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, then worked in telecommunications, retiring from AT&T after 21 years in 2018. He and his wife Cindy moved to Paradise in Nov. 2017 after 40 years of visiting the area.

Strengths

A full Council term plus prior Planning Commission service, and a long record combining 21 years as an Air Force officer with 21 years of steady private-sector work at AT&T.

Trade-offs

Like Crowder, he's asking voters to extend an incumbency during a recovery some residents find too slow; his statement leans on values more than specific completed projects.

Keep in mind

He and his wife perform at local nursing homes with the Mountain Ridge Singers and are active at Ridge Presbyterian Church, per the town's bio page, not his own statement. No 2026 news coverage was found.

Shelley Silva

Shelley Silva is a business owner and one of five challengers. She and her family moved to Paradise from Florida two years ago; in her own words she is "not a career politician" but a concerned resident who opened a business locally and says she "experienced firsthand the lack of consistency and transparency in our institutions." Her campaign centers on transparency, accountability, and what she describes as sustainable community growth.

Strengths

A recent-arrival perspective running on government accessibility -- residents "should not fear the officials we elect." Her campaign site adds detail beyond her filed statement.

Trade-offs

Two years of Paradise residency is a short track record next to two incumbents with a combined decade-plus of Council and Planning Commission service; no prior local office.

Keep in mind

Her account of a council member trying to intimidate her for public comment is her own characterization, unconfirmed by any other source found this pass -- one candidate's account, not an adjudicated fact.

Alexandra Bern

Alexandra Bern is one of five challengers, running on a platform of affordability, accountability, and accessibility in the town's redevelopment. In her own words, "Paradise deserves to retain its small-town character," and she wants government to "meet residents where we are at fiscally, mentally, and physically with timely, digestible updates." She also calls for replacing PG&E's local infrastructure, citing lower rates in Redding after that city disconnected from PG&E.

Strengths

Runs on a clear three-point platform -- affordability, accessibility, accountability -- and her own campaign site adds a tagline and specifics beyond her filed statement.

Trade-offs

No prior elected or appointed government experience; her filed statement gives no occupation or professional background, unlike every other candidate in the race.

Keep in mind

Her call to replace PG&E's local infrastructure, citing Redding's lower rates after leaving PG&E, is her own claim -- not independently verified this pass.

Serra Blaine

Serra Blaine, a homemaker, describes herself in her own filed statement as "a homemaker, Navy veteran, licensed Registered Nurse, homeschool mom, small business owner, and co-founder of the Ridge Homesteading Faire nonprofit." Her husband lived in Paradise before the Camp Fire, attending college and caring for grandparents there; the family returned four years ago. She says she has attended Town Council meetings and stayed engaged in local issues ahead of running.

Strengths

An unusually varied resume for a first-time candidate -- Navy service, a nursing license, and co-founding the Ridge Homesteading Faire nonprofit -- plus family ties to Paradise predating the fire.

Trade-offs

No prior elected or appointed government experience; her statement stays largely at the level of values rather than naming specific policy positions.

Keep in mind

No source beyond her own filed statement was found this pass -- no campaign site or news coverage turned up despite a genuine search, though the statement itself is substantive.

William Flores

William Flores, a retired contractor, has lived in Paradise since 1979 and graduated from Paradise High School in 1994. In his own words he "lived, worked, and raised [his] family in Paradise" his whole life, survived both a 2008 fire and the 2018 Camp Fire, and worked as a painting contractor from 2001 to 2016 before retiring early due to a disabling back injury.

Strengths

The longest personal history in Paradise of any candidate -- resident since 1979, predating the town's own 1979 incorporation -- with a motivation rooted in his own physical limits.

Trade-offs

No prior elected or appointed government experience; his statement is short on policy detail beyond a general commitment to transparency and accessibility.

Keep in mind

Like Blaine, no source beyond his own filed statement was found this pass -- a real gap, but a symmetric one shared with several other candidates, not an outlier against richly profiled opponents.

Andrew "Andy" Waldrop

Andrew "Andy" Waldrop, a retired claims adjuster, spent 25 years as a commercial-lines insurance adjuster before retiring. In his own filed statement he cites two terms as a grand juror and service on the Roseville Redistricting Committee, and says he currently serves on the Paradise Insurance Advocacy Committee and leads the town's Firewise USA community program.

Strengths

Directly relevant experience -- 25 years in insurance claims work, in a town where insurance access after the Camp Fire is a live issue -- plus current Firewise USA leadership.

Trade-offs

His government experience is one step removed from Paradise itself -- grand-jury and Roseville-redistricting service rather than town government directly.

Keep in mind

No source beyond his own filed statement was found this pass, the same gap noted for Blaine and Flores; he signs it "Andrew F. Waldrop," though the county's list uses "Andy."

Source review: Strong (83/100) · 19 cited sources

Official records anchor this contest, with several source types checked for context; advocacy or endorsement sources are treated as attributed perspective.

Review note: Alexandra Bern's own campaign site: tagline "Safely Innovating from common ground"; three platform pillars (affordability, accessibility, accountability); states "Constituents need accessible evidence of responsible stewardship of government resources." and Shelley Silva's own campaign site: a business owner who moved to Paradise from Florida two years ago; three platform pillars (transparency, accountability, community growth); describes an incident in which she says a council member tried to intimidate her for addressing the Town Council. may have more bias because they are advocacy voter guides compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.

  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- "Final Qualified Candidate List" for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election (report CFMR009, contest IDs 4002-6806, print date 8/27/2026): names contest 4601 "Paradise Town Council Member," "On Ballot: Yes," "Vote For: 2" -- Steve Crowder "Incumbent," Ron Lassonde "Incumbent," Shelley Silva "Business Owner," Serra Blaine "Homemaker," Andrew "Andy" Waldrop "Retired Claims Adjuster," Alexandra Bern "No Ballot Designation," William Flores "Retired Contractor." No separate Paradise Mayor, Town Clerk, or Town Treasurer contest ID appears anywhere in the document. Fetched and read directly as a PDF, not converted from HTML.
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official "Election Information" page: states the nomination period runs July 13-Aug. 7, 2026 (extended to Aug. 12 if an incumbent does not file), that "the election is proceeding as scheduled" and "Paradise consolidated its municipal election with the state general election," and names Melanie Elvis, Town Clerk, as election official.
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official "2026 General Election" page: "Two seats on the Paradise Town Council will be decided. The positions are currently held by Ronald Lassonde and Steve Crowder, whose terms are expiring," each a four-year term "beginning on the first Council Meeting in December 2026 through the first Council Meeting in December, 2030."
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official "2026 General Election Town Council Candidates" page: lists all seven qualified candidates -- Alexandra Bern, Serra Blaine, Steve Crowder (Incumbent), William Flores, Ron Lassonde (Incumbent), Shelley Silva, and Andrew "Andy" Waldrop -- with contact information for each, independently matching the county's certified list exactly.
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official Council Members page: current five-member roster -- Mayor Steve Crowder (appointed by the Council for a one-year term ending Dec. 8, 2026), Vice Mayor Steve "Woody" Culleton (elected by the Council), and Councilmembers Greg Bolin, Heidi Lange, and Ron Lassonde -- with no district label for any member, four-year terms.
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official biography page for Mayor Steve Crowder: first elected to Council Nov. 6, 2018, re-elected Nov. 8, 2022; a Paradise resident since 2013 who, with his wife Lori, operates an embroidery and shirt-printing business; prior service on the Beautification, Business License, and Sewer stakeholder committees and as a Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce board member; active in the Paradise Moose Lodge, Paradise Rotary Club, and Paradise Parade of Flags.
  • paradiseca.gov (opens in a new tab)Town of Paradise -- official biography page for Councilmember Ron Lassonde: elected to a four-year term Nov. 8, 2022; prior service as a Paradise Planning Commissioner (appointed July 21, 2020) and Measure V Oversight Committee alternate (Jan. 2022); over 21 years as an Air Force officer retiring as Lt. Colonel, then 21 years at AT&T retiring July 2018; Commander of the Paradise chapter of Disabled American Veterans and Hall Supervisor for Paradise Veterans Memorial Hall.
  • site-dileei8qv.godaddysites.com (opens in a new tab)Alexandra Bern's own campaign site: tagline "Safely Innovating from common ground"; three platform pillars (affordability, accessibility, accountability); states "Constituents need accessible evidence of responsible stewardship of government resources."
  • shelleyforparadisecouncil.com (opens in a new tab)Shelley Silva's own campaign site: a business owner who moved to Paradise from Florida two years ago; three platform pillars (transparency, accountability, community growth); describes an incident in which she says a council member tried to intimidate her for addressing the Town Council.
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election ("Butte_VIG_Final_8-18-2026"), Steve Crowder's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "I was elected to Council two days before the Camp Fire," cites his FEMA/CalOES recovery work and his advocacy for a federal tax exemption on the Fire Victim Trust.
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Ron Lassonde's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "For more than 21 years, I served our nation ... in the U.S. Air Force," on rebuilding infrastructure and wisely managing public resources.
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Alexandra Bern's filed "About the Candidate" statement: cites a lack of "affordability, accountability, and accessibility" in the town's redevelopment plan and calls to replace PG&E's infrastructure.
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Serra Blaine's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "a homemaker, Navy veteran, licensed Registered Nurse, homeschool mom, small business owner, and co-founder of the Ridge Homesteading Faire nonprofit."
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, William Flores's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "A resident of Paradise since 1979 ... was here during the 2008 fire and survived the 2018 Camp fire"; a painting contractor from 2001-2016, retired early on a disabling back injury.
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Shelley Silva's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "an accountant and business owner" whose family "moved here 2 years ago from Florida."
  • buttevotes.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Butte County -- official Voter Information Guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, Andrew F. Waldrop's filed "About the Candidate" statement: "Over the course of my 25 years as a commercial lines insurance adjuster"; two terms as a grand juror, the Roseville Redistricting Committee, the Paradise Insurance Advocacy Committee, and leading the town's Firewise USA community.
  • public.netfile.com (opens in a new tab)A negative-result local campaign-finance check: Paradise's NetFile public portal (public.netfile.com/pub2/?aid=TOP, linked from the town's own "Campaign Electronic Filing System" page) returns only a client-rendered single-page-application shell (a 691-byte 'div id="app"' page) with no server-side content, the same access gap documented dataset-wide for other NetFile jurisdictions.
  • cal-access.sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)A negative-result access check: California's statewide Cal-Access campaign-finance filer/candidate search was queried directly this pass and returned an explicit Incapsula bot-wall block page, consistent with the same block documented elsewhere in this dataset. Local candidates for seats like these typically file with the town rather than the state in any case.
  • en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia, "Paradise, California": used narrowly for the fixed, dated 2020 Census population figure (4,764, down from 26,218 in 2010), the Nov. 8, 2018 Camp Fire's toll (85 deaths, roughly 18,804 structures destroyed), a roughly 9,000-resident recovery as of late 2023, and the Nov. 27, 1979 incorporation date; does not cover the 2026 Council election.

Last updated September 2, 2026.