2026 ballot breakdown

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Okay, you know the regime might try to mess with the elections and the Postal Service. You know voting early (either in person or via drop box) is the best way to make sure you're counted...but are you overwhelmed by the ballot and all the crazy disinformation brochures stuffing your mailbox? We will decode and break the candidates and measures down for you here!

Who are we? We are a left-leaning pro-democracy protest page. This is a compilation of information gleaned from articles (resources cited wherever possible) along with conversations with dozens of community members leading local boards and clubs. We spoke to the candidates themselves and went to hear them speak in person when possible.

This document is a community conversation. If you believe we got something wrong, left something out or need nuance added. Please reach out.

We aren't going to waste time on the first part of the ballot where it is Democrat versus Republican. In all cases we recommend VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRAT. Okay,  if you are still with me, see our other recommendations below.

"In 2015, Brandon was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication while waiting for first responders to arrive and help a friend who had too much to drink at a fundraiser for a high school sports team, Brandon said in 2020. That’s when the arrest photo was first used to oppose his run for Tuolumne County supervisor, a race he won."

“The charges were dropped (in 2015), but a mugshot is forever,” Brandon said recently in social media. The post begins with the words, “The Duarte Mudslinging Machine is back up and running,” 

Full article here: https://themodestofocus.org/politics-focus-cant-candidates-just-get-along/

Jane Kim is endorsed by Bernie Sanders. She is coming in with a plan for single-payer non-profit state-run homeowner's insurance. Ben Allen is also a Democrat, but more status quo, hoping to work within the system to hold insurers more accountable. He says Kim's vision will never pass and is unrealistic. Our take? It definitely won't pass if we don't try. She can always use his approach as a backup plan. But we like candidates who are willing to try radically new approaches. To be clear, Ben Allen is not a bad candidate either and endorsed by the California Democratic Party.

BIOS:

Jane Kim, 49, served as a San Francisco supervisor from 2011 to 2019. Her progressive credentials include leading a campaign to make the city’s community college tuition free and serving as California political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. The daughter of Korean immigrants, she attended Stanford and also has a law degree from Berkeley. Though she ran as a Democrat, she is a former director of the Working Families Party and is endorsed by Sanders (I-Vt.) and the California Federation of Labor Unions.

https://www.janekim.org

Ben Allen, 48, represents the Palisades fire zone and has a lengthy history of insurance-related legislation, including leading the effort to put a successful $10-billion climate bond on the 2024 ballot, which he calls a key step in reducing fire risk and lowering premiums. A native and resident of Santa Monica, Allen attended Harvard and has a law degree from UC Berkeley. He previously served on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board. He is endorsed by the California Democratic Party and leading elected party officials, including U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.

https://www.benallenca.com

These bios are from the LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-10-01/2026-california-election-insurance-commissioner-allen-kim-voter-guide

More Resources: 

CalMatters: https://calmatters.org/economy/2026/10/insurance-commissioner-california-nov-election/

We couldn't find any reasons not to. All were appointed by Gavin Newson or prior Governor Jerry Brown (Democrat). If you have seen anything to the contrary, please Contact Us

Richard Barrera is a lifelong educator and a champion for all students. He is running on a platform to ensure public education receives adequate funding. He is committed to equity, opportunity and student success. He is endorsed by the Tahoe Truckee Education Association.

He is endorsed by:

• California Teachers Association 
• United Domestic Workers
• California Charter School Advocates

https://www.barreraforedu.com

And Shaw? She's endorsed by the California Republican Party and the California Rifle and Pistol Association. 🤦‍♀️ https://shawforca.com

Resources:

https://edsource.org/2026/california-superintendent-candidates-debate/767704

https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2026/superintendent-of-public-instruction/

Ballot designation: Education Foundation Consultant

Professional background

• Served as executive director of the Tahoe Truckee Excellence in Education Foundation from 2004 to 2024, according to her candidate profile. 
• Her career background is directly connected to education philanthropy and community support for schools.

What this experience may bring

• Familiarity with fundraising, educational partnerships, and mobilizing community resources.
• Experience working with an education-focused nonprofit.

Campaign Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593515970934

Is a small business owner. The Nevada County Republican Party lists Gilmore among its endorsed candidates. She does not have a campaign page that we could find.

Resources: https://www.placercountyelections.gov/Uploads/documents/11032026/CSQ/11032026-SJCCD2.pdf

Pat Mooney is incumbent and has spent 33 years in classrooms and fields, and the last 4 years on the board. He has an excellent approval rate from teachers and is endorsed by the Tahoe Truckee Education Association among others. He has been Tahoe-Truckee resident since 1959, raising two children who attended Truckee schools K–12, with a third currently enrolled. He cites student well-being as a top priority. He believes sports plays a vital role in student mental health and development. He is a retired teacher, coach, athletic director, and a parent of three, with the unique experience to bridge the faculty, staff, leadership, and

community in TTUSD. https://www.mooney4ttusd.com

Craig Shaffer wants to get an exception to allow TTUSD kids to participate in Nevada sports. There are currently no trans children on the leagues, but it would ban trans children from playing in the future. It is unclear if he could get the exception as state law currently does not allow this. Many parents are concerned about students being unable to play in Nevada sports, citing risks of travel over Donner Pass in winter conditions, along with greater overall travel time. He has spent 12+ years supporting  teachers, classrooms and programs with countless volunteer hours and financial backing, including 7 years of board member experience including holding treasurer and president positions. https://www.shafferforttusdboard.com

This photo is from Moonshine Ink and they have a thorough article on this race here:

https://www.moonshineink.com/tahoe-news/the-only-race-on-the-school-board-ballot/

Anna Klovstad and David Polivy are incumbents who have been working hard to balance growth with preservation of our natural resources and small town vibe. They are also working on emergency preparedness, neighborhood fire-risk reduction, and renewable-energy goals. Jason Toups is a fresh face focused on affordable housing. It's exciting to have a younger person on the council and he has already been working on getting young people more engaged in local politics.

https://www.anna4truckee.com

https://www.instagram.com/polivy4towncouncil

https://www.toupsfortruckee.com

Dr. Johanna Koch earned my respect when she publicly called out the Tahoe Forest CEO Harry Weiss about high burnout and turnover and had him ousted. She is a proven advocate for healthcare workers...and also patients. She helped establish the palliative care team at the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center. She has 5 star ratings from over 400 patients, impressive!  https://www.tfhd.com/our-providers/koch-md/

"Meg" Rab is a small business owner and serves as vice chair of the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe board, providing experience with nonprofit governance.  She is compassionate and community-oriented. https://www.megfortahoeforest.com

Michael McGarry is incumbent. He has more than 20 years of healthcare-industry experience involving medical technology, innovation, and new care-delivery models. Plus experience in biomedical engineering and healthcare business strategy. https://www.tfhd.com/news/podcast-interview-michael-mcgarry-board-chair-tahoe-forest-health-system-on-navigating-healthcare-challenges/

What about the others?

Mary Brown and Dale Chamblin are incumbents. We feel like McGarry has the strongest business background of the incumbents, to cover those practical aspects, where Koch and Rab bring some much needed heart and backbone to really advocate for the community and hospital staff. https://www.tfhd.com/board-of-directors/board-members/

Resources:

https://www.moonshineink.com/tahoe-news/ceos-departure-hospital-district/

We know it can be tempting when our services aren't feeling adequate and prices keep going up, to want to elect someone new to try. But the truth is, it can take a while to find your footing, fight through red tape and make real change happen. We believe Laliotis and Finn are making headway and don't want to slow the momentum.

However, we will add that Hawkins would be a great pick if not up against two solid incumbents doing such good work for the district. We'll keep an eye on him for future elections. He does have a lot to offer and good for him for stepping up.

This photo is from Moonshine Ink and they have a thorough article on this race here:

https://www.moonshineink.com/tahoe-news/truckee-donner-pud-hopefuls-on-rates-risk-and-renewables/

Amanda Conk  currently serves as Recreation, Park and Facilities Manager for the North Tahoe Public Utility District (since January 2022) and spent nearly 18 years with the Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District as an Aquatic Coordinator and Recreation Supervisor.

Katie Hawkins has extensive experience in outdoor recreation and conservation policy. She has worked to drive transformative initiatives that safeguard public lands, advance nature-based climate solutions, and expand equitable outdoor access across California. She currently spearheads statewide advocacy efforts, notably securing millions in state and federal funding to address critical outdoor recreation infrastructure backlogs in the Sierra Nevada—including major access enhancements at Donner Lake boat ramp.

https://www.katie4truckee.com

Danny Peltz is a retired business executive who is a little vague about what he used to do for work and what exactly his platform is, but at least he cared enough to make a website:

https://www.dannypeltz.com and Tahoe Truckee Theater Company sent out a newsletter lauding him as a champion for the arts along with Debbie Collette who at least made a few posts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie4tdrpd/ People who know them in person say they are great, but it's hard to rally behind a candidate who doesn't put a little more effort into their campaign. Neither showed up to the candidate forums.

Eric Wicks is a small business owner with an endorsement from a Republican voter guide but very little other information: https://cacollegegop.org/voter-guides/nevada

Siobhan Smart is endorsed by the Nevada County Republican Party and is politically active in local Conservative groups. It threw us off that she has endorsements from many unexpected people on our side of the aisle, so we launched an inquiry. People have called her an "enigma" and a rare Conservative voice supporting the new Truckee Library last election (Measure G) and other public services. She believes there are "good taxes and bad taxes" and believes in being fiscally thoughtful over voting No on everything with the word "tax". Left-leaning movers and shakers in the community have truly enjoyed working with her and the endorsements are genuine. So take that as you will. Some of us may look at the candidate and the endorsements in a silo, but others can't stomach supporting people who have supported the regime. https://www.truckeesmart.com

Let us know if you know more about these candidates! We can vote for 3, but the final seat is a tough call with so little to go off of.

The bar is not that high my friends. If you think you could do better, I encourage you to RUN FOR SOMETHING next time. Run for Something is an organization that helps recruit and train young* people to enter politics and affect real change: https://runforsomething.net

*Young in the political world means 40ish and younger

• YES on Prop 1 that would authorize an $11.25 billion bond to build and preserve affordable homes and expand homeownership opportunities.
• YES on Prop 2 that would increase California's Rainy Day Fund, to help support education, health care, public safety, and other essential services in times of economic downturns.
• YES on Prop 3 that would make an existing tax on California’s highest-income earners permanent, preserving $15 billion each year that currently funds public education and healthcare.
• YES on Prop 4 that would repeal California’s ban on public financing of campaigns, allowing the state to create systems that reduce the influence of wealthy donors and expand opportunities for candidates from all backgrounds.
• YES on Prop 5 that would remove the replacement-candidate question from recall elections. Recalled governors are replaced by the lieutenant governor. This would separate the vote to remove an official from the vote to choose their replacement. Prevents someone from becoming governor with only a small share of the vote during a crowded recall election.
• NEUTRAL on Prop 37 This one has strong arguments for and against. YES on Prop 37 would help middle-income Californians afford a home with less money upfront. Loans would cover up to 17% of the purchase price. Homes must be new builds. It would be funded by bonds repaid through borrowers' mortgage payments, not directly by state taxes. No on Prop 37 believes this will not solve the affordable housing shortage and would encourage buyers to take on additional debt and monthly payments in access of what they can afford. The $25 billion bond program creates financial and repayment risks if borrowers don't pay as expected. It only helps eligible buyers purchasing qualifying new homes, not everyone struggling with housing costs.
• NEUTRAL on Prop 38 Again some good points for and against YES on Prop 38 would borrow $8.4 billion to fund medical research, especially treatments for cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's. This could help develop new treatments and cures for serious diseases. It would require qualifying treatments developed through the research to be offered to Californians at a 20% discount. It could generate revenue for the state if discoveries become commercially successful. It includes independent audits and public reporting requirements. NO on Prop 38 argues the cost is too high, with half the money going to a single research institute, raising concerns about favoritism. Focuses heavily on immunology rather than a wider range of medical research. Future discoveries and revenue are uncertain and the bond may not pay for itself.
• NO on Prop 39 that would require voters to present a government-issued identification card for in-person voting and add a personal ID number on vote-by-mail envelopes. The measure is unclear on which kinds of ID would be accepted, creating an unnecessary barrier to the democratic process that will deny eligible voters access to the polls.
• YES on Prop 40 that would create a one-time 5 percent wealth tax on California billionaires to protect essential services for low-income communities. Note: There is a lot of interesting information (and disinformation) surrounding this one. Hop down to Prop 40 Dissected to read more details.
• NO on Prop 41 that would create new constitutional requirements for statewide special taxes that could delay ballot measures and make it harder to fund voter-approved priorities like healthcare, education and other essential public services. IF YOU WANT YES ON PROP 40 YOU MUST VOTE NO HERE. This essentially block things like the Billionaire's Tax. Yes I do think Billionaires put these on the ballot to confuse us.
• NO on Prop 42 that would permanently ban new state taxes on financial assets and other personal property, limiting options available to future voters and lawmakers to respond to crises, protect essential services and invest in our communities. Again IF YOU WANT YES ON PROP 40 YOU MUST VOTE NO HERE.
• NO on Prop 43 that would require two-thirds voter-approval for local revenue measures that voters themselves put on the ballot. IF YOU WANT YES ON PROP 40 YOU MUST VOTE NO HERE. YES THEY TRIED TO BLOCK IT THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
• NO on Prop 44  would require community health clinics spend 90% of their revenue on patient care. I understand wanting thoughtful spending, but there is a certain amount of admin required for a medical facility in our country and not meeting this high bar will effectively close many clinics entirely. We believe it will financially strain clinics that already serve vulnerable communities.
• NO on Prop 45 that narrows the window for affected communities to review projects and raise concerns across housing, transportation, water, health, and energy projects.
• YES on Measure P is a no-brainer It makes sure our schools remain funded to keep up with inflation. A NO vote would massively defund public education in Tahoe/Truckee.