A Fresno City councilmember and the mayor of Kerman are vying for the District 1 Fresno County Board of Supervisors seat. The winner will be one of three new supervisors the five-member board expects to see at the start of the new year.
Mike Karbassi is a Fresno City Councilmember and small business owner. Karbassi has been a councilmember since 2019. He finished first in the June primary election.
Maria Pacheco is the Kerman mayor. Pacheco has been the mayor of Kerman since 2024. She finished second in the June primary.
The District 1 county race had six candidates in June. Karbassi won 8,046 votes to Pacheco’s 7,008.
The winning candidate will replace Brian Pacheco, a dairyman who has served in the supervisor’s seat since 2014.
Read more about where the supervisor candidates, ordered alphabetically by last name, stand on several issues in our guide below. You can revisit what positions the candidates shared previously while on the campaign trail in our June 2026 primary election guide.
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Mike Karbassi
Job: Fresno City Councilmember, Businessman
Notable endorsements: United States Congressman Jim Costa, United States Congressman Adam Gray, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Fresno County Democratic Party, Nisei Farmers League
Fresnoland conducts all candidate guides through in-person interviews. Karbassi could not meet with Fresnoland for this guide, citing a family health emergency.
Positions from Karbassi were sourced from an election candidate forum at the Teague Community Center last month.
How would he build a relationship between the city and the county to help the west side?
Karbassi said that, while canvassing his district, he heard from residents who said they didn’t know who their representative is on the county’s board of supervisors.
“And I think part of the reason why is, for the last 30 years, we have had someone not from Fresno representing the district,” Karbassi said. “Now, we need a balanced approach, but the reality is a majority of the population of Supervisor District 1 are City of Fresno residents.”
Karbassi said he would try to increase representation from the district within the county’s board and commissions.
“I plan on removing some of the folks that are out there now and choosing folks that better reflect our community to have those voices, so they can give us the information to set policy.”
What does he think about the county’s current working relationship?
Karbassi said that the relationship between the city and county has improved in recent years. He said he has learned to build relationships between the city and county when looking to repair infrastructure in his district, which has county islands in it.
Karbassi cited the introduction of a HAWK crosswalk in his district — a job that was done with the help of the county.
“It’s not about ego; it’s about results. I think those relationships are going to go a long way to serve the needs of this district. I’ve always been a collaborator with the board, even the people that disagree with me.”
Karbassi, a Democrat, also touted his ability to work across party lines — a skill he will need in the county, which has consistently had a majority conservative board. Karbassi has been endorsed by Supervisor Garry Bredefeld and Supervisor-elect Margaret Mims — a pair of Republicans who would be working with him, if elected.
How would he make sure that community input is meaningfully considered in long-term planning and development decisions?
Karbassi said he wants to see continued improvement of the county’s public comment portion of their meetings.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors typically caps public comment for an agenda item to about 10 minutes. Bredefeld, this year’s board chair, has been more amenable to increasing these time periods for topics, but increasing the cap is at the board chair’s discretion, and not required.
In contrast, Fresno City Council meetings, especially for controversial matters, routinely hold hours of public comment.
“That’s not right,” Karbassi said. “We should have the opportunity for everyone that shows up that wants to speak on an issue to be heard. That’s a basic right you should have.”
Karbassi said he has already had conversations on this topic with Supervisor Luis Chavez, who will be the board chair next year.
What steps would he take to increase accessibility to county and city services on the west side?
Karbassi talked about taking Fresno County staff on a kind of tour of the west side, if elected.
“It may be symbolic…but I think it’s really important…so they can know who the heck they’re fighting for.”
Karbassi also said he has already done some work to increase accessibility to the library.
In the summer, during the city’s most recent budget hearings, he allocated $25,000 from his city district’s operating budget to partner with the county to build a new library in southwest Fresno, west of the 99 freeway.
What are his thoughts on the Southeast Development Area (SEDA)?
Karbassi said that, currently, it looks like SEDA will not be approved by the Fresno City Council.
“I’m pretty sure it’s going to fail,” Karbassi said. “We’ve explored the heck out of it. I don’t think it pencils out.”
How would he measure the success of investments in the west side?
Karbassi said the effort would involve hearing constituents’ concerns and delivering on them. He said an example of how he has already done this is in his advocacy as a city councilmember to get the Veterans Boulevard project across the finish line — an overpass that more easily connects the west side to northwest Fresno.
He said that similar desires for infrastructure — like grocery stores, banks and housing — are actionable items that have a clear success metric. He believes he can deliver.
“I have a great amount of experience in increasing that kind of level of development in my city,” Karbassi said, “while also maintaining infrastructure, maintaining our budget, and maintaining public input and satisfaction. It sounds boring, but that’s what it’s going to take.”
Who has endorsed Karbassi?
- United States Congressmember Jim Costa
- United States Congressmember Adam Gray
- Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni
- Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp
- Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer
- Former Fresno Mayor Lee Brand
- Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez
- Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza
- Fresno City Council Vice President Tyler Maxwell
- Former Fresno City Councilmember Oliver Baines
- Former Fresno City Councilmember Paul Caprioglio
- Fresno County Supervisor Chair Garry Bredefeld
- Fresno County Supervisors Buddy Mendes
- Fresno County Supervisors-Elect Margaret Mims
- Former Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea
- Former Fresno County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian
- Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez
- Firebaugh Mayor Freddie Valdez
- Firebaugh City Councilmember Brady Jenkins
- Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua
- Kerman Mayor Pro Tem Gary Yep
- Parlier Mayor Alma Beltran
- Susan Wittrup, Fresno Unified School District Trustee
- Lupe Flores, Mendota Unified School Board member
- Richard Solis, Former Central Unified School Board member
- Shawn Brooks, Former Central Unified School Board member
- Fresno County Democratic Party
- Nisei Farmers League
- Fresno Chamber of Commerce
- Fresno Association of Realtors
- Amalgamated Transit Union
- Fresno County Deputy Sheriff’s Association (FDSA)
- Fresno Sheriff’s Sergeant Association
- Fresno County Prosecutors Association (FCPA)
- Fresno County District Attorney Investigators Association
- Fresno County Public Safety Association
- Fresno County Deputy Probation Officers Association
- Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) – Central CA Chapter
- Cal Firefighters Local 2881
- Fresno City Firefighters Local 202
- Fresno, Madera, Kings & Tulare Counties Building & Construction Trades Council
- Operating Engineers Local Union 3
- IBEW Local 100
- Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104
- UA Local 246
- United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers, Local Union No.27
- Fresno County Professional Association of Employees
- Fresno City Employees Association
- City of Fresno Professional Employees Association
- Central Valley Leadership Roundtable
- SEIU Local 521
- Central Labor Council
- Central Valley Indian Chamber of Commerce
- Pastor DJ Criner
- Humberto Gomez Sr.
Who are Karbassi’s top donors?
Karbassi has raised about $345,000 in his bid for the county supervisor’s seat, outraising Pacheco almost two to one. About $121,000 of that has come since the June primary.
Here are Karbassi’s top donors heading into November. Some entities donated more than once to reach the total amount listed below.
- Shiralian Enterprises Inc., a real estate development company, which has donated $32,500
- Richard Spencer, president of Harris Construction, who has donated $20,900
- Wallace & Smith Contractors, a real estate development company, which has donated $20,000
- Central Valley Council, a PAC run by political consultant Alex Tavlian, which has donated $12,000
- Fresno Chamber PAC, a local business group which has donated $11,500
- SEIU Local 521 Independent Expenditure Committee, which has donated $10,000
- Jinzhao Lin, CEO of Lin’s Restaurant Group, who has donated $10,000
- Target Construction Inc., a real estate development company, which has donated $10,000
- Fresno Firefighters Legislative Action Committee, a local labor group, which has donated $7,500
- Ali Rashidian, a real estate developer, who has donated $7,400
Maria Pacheco
Job: Kerman mayor, Senior field representative for California Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria
Age: 47
Residency: Born and raised in Kerman
Notable endorsements: California state Sen. Anna Caballero, California Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, Huron Mayor Rey Leon, United States Congressional candidate Randy Villegas, Dolores Huerta Action Fund, Central Valley Progressive PAC
What does she think about Measure S?
Pacheco said she supports Measure S. She said she disagreed with the county’s efforts to delay the vote on the measure until 2028.
“When you have 32,000 people who come forward,” Pacheco said, in reference to the residents who gave their signatures to get Measure S on the ballot, “and say that this is what they want to see on the ballot, I think that it’s our responsibility to assure that it happens, regardless of what the outcome is.”
If Measure S were to get approved, what would she like to see the money put toward?
Pacheco said her support for Measure S came partially after seeing that the tax plan would invest in established communities and roads instead of putting money toward the expansion of the highway and county boundary.
She said that she would like to see the most damaged roads repaired first, a sentiment she said many have shared with her while canvassing the district.
“I know it sounds simple,” Kerman said, “but there really are needs this measure should address like kids wanting smooth roads to ride a skateboard in.”
Pacheco said she liked that the measure had space to address similar concerns, on top of investing in established communities.
What does she think about county expansion?
Pacheco said there must be a “delicate balance” when supervisors approve the building of new cities, but added that “I don’t feel that new developments are always the answer.”
“In some areas it makes sense,” Pacheco said, “but in most it doesn’t.”
Pacheco said she’d prefer to see most of the county’s building resources go toward the establishment of more mixed-use developments, before investing that money toward expansion.
Fresno County will be unable to use virtually all of Measure S’s tax revenue to build out expansion communities. Pacheco said she’d be against using rate hikes on utilities as a means to fund these expansions.
How would she help increase community engagement in the county’s budget process?
For the second year in a row, Fresno County has held budget presentations with opportunities for public comment during their annual budget hearings. And for the second year in a row, the community has largely remained checked out of a procedural change some county leaders said would increase public engagement.
Pacheco said she believes part of the reason is because the general public has a “disillusionment” with their government. She said holding the board meetings, and the budget process, during work hours also makes it hard for most people to participate, but she did not say she would lobby to change the meeting schedule.
She added that she would engage with her constituents as much as she could. She said meeting agendas can be confusing, so she would facilitate outreach to help members to better understand when important items are on the calendar.
Pacheco also said she would like to see the county hold educational town halls, where staff could help teach community members what the role of the county is.
How would she address budget shortfalls in the wake of federal government cuts?
Pacheco said it’s a bit hard to talk about specific solutions since the estimated effects of President Donald Trump’s fiscal policy vary widely.
The county projected that, in its indigent care alone, it could see a shortfall anywhere between $42 and $241 million.
Pacheco said she wants to lean as much as she can on state relationships to help mitigate the effects of a potential budgetary shortfall.
How would she help increase the county’s stock of affordable housing, and alleviate housing costs for county residents?
Heading into the June primary election, Pacheco told Fresnoland that she would be in favor of creating a rental assistance program as a way to help alleviate housing costs for renters.
Pacheco said she still believes in the program as a potential solution, but said she has not identified a potential funding source yet.
Identifying a funding source will be difficult, especially with Trump policies forcing the country to engage in cost-cutting measures in the immediate future.
“But it would be a blessing if we can offer some kind of subsidy, even for our middle-income people,” Pacheco said.
Pacheco said she understands that there are some federal and state subsidies for low-income families, like Section 8, but she said the kind of rental assistance program she envisions would potentially help middle-income families that don’t qualify for these services.
“I mean, it’s going to be a heavy lift, but I’m never afraid of hard work.”
Pacheco said she wants the county to help residents explore the building of accessory dwelling units as a way to build out more housing units within established communities.
“Now their property is worth more,” Pacheco said, “and they’re able to become landlords and have additional income, and they’re also able to house a person struggling to find a home right now.”
What does she think of CEMEX’s proposal to construct a new blast mine along the San Joaquin River?
Pacheco said she did not have information on the matter to give a position.
California Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula attempted to pass legislation to stop the proposal, but his bill, AB 1425, failed.
How does she think the west side can take advantage of the boom in solar energy development?
Pacheco said he would want to make sure regions that are being hit hardest by fallowed land get special attention to booming solar energy development.
She said part of why she feels this way is because of a “misinformation campaign” she has seen in the rural areas of the district that have led people to believe solar developments are responsible for the fallowed land.
“They think solar is just going to come in and take over,” Pacheco said, “and that’s just not the case.”
She believes these developments can bring jobs and new revenue for west-side cities.
Pacheco did not specify which groups she thought were behind the misinformation campaign, but she said they are not likely from the agricultural industry. She said much of it comes from general ignorance of the issue.
“We really need to focus on education.”
How does she hope to help with local homelessness issues?
The Fresno-Madera region published a homelessness census earlier this year indicating that there are less homeless people in the region — a trend mirroring other cities and counties in the state. Pacheco, who said that at the age of 18 she spent some time being homeless, said she was skeptical of the new numbers.
The census information released this year comes from a new count system that will be the format going forward. Local leaders stressed that this year’s numbers shouldn’t be compared to data from prior years, but instead be viewed as a new starting point.
“I’ve read many articles that say homelessness is down, and I’ve read reports,” Pacheco said. “But what I see and experience is different.” Pacheco said her views also come from conversations from homeless individuals who have expressed similar skepticism.
Pacheco also said that she would like to see a continued investment toward the increase in supportive services at both the city and county level.
She also said she would spend a night sleeping outside alongside members of the unhoused community in October to learn more about homelessness issues from people experiencing it.
What is her position on a countywide project labor agreement?
Pacheco said she would support a countywide project labor agreement.
“We need to have the infrastructure to support and bring jobs into the area,” Pacheco said. “We need working families to be able to find some monetary relief in these very hard jobs.”
What else does she think the county can do to increase high-paying construction jobs?
Pacheco said she would like to see an investment into pathways for young residents to pursue a career in the trades. She said in Kerman, there is a shortage of “brick and mortar plumbers,” and that she’s seen similar shortages of technical professionals in the county.
What is her position on library privatization?
Pacheco said she is against library privatization.
“The education of our children and the consistent use of a recreational space for our community is not worth the potential budgetary savings privatization can bring,” Pacheco said.
What does she think about the county’s potential for data center construction?
Pacheco said data center construction does not make sense for the region. She said constituents have raised concerns about the developments, and she wants to back them in that.
“I also just really don’t know how we’d get the water for these things,” Pacheco said.
Who has endorsed Pacheco?
- California Sen. Anna Caballero
- California Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria
- Madera County Supervisor Leticia Gonzalez
- Huron Mayor Rey Leon
- Madera City Councilmember Anita Evans
- San Joaquin Mayor Adam Flores Cornejo
- San Joaquin Vice Mayor Martha Mejia
- Former San Joaquin mayor Julia Hernandez
- San Joaquin Councilmember Cristina Covarrubia
- San Joaquin Councilmember Abel Lua
- Kerman Councilmember Berdie Hall
- Kerman Councilmember Ismael Herrera
- Kerman Councilmember Raj Dhaliwal
- Kerman Councilmember-elect Maria Berber
- Former Kerman Councilmember Bill Nijjer
- Firebaugh Mayor Freddie Valdez
- Firebaugh Councilmember Brady Jenkins
- Firebaugh Councilmember Elsa Lopez
- Coalinga Mayor Nathan Vosburg
- Mendota City Councilmember Libertad Lopez
- Former Mendota Mayor Joseph Amador
- Mayra Gonzalez, Kerman City Councilmember
- Yasmine Enriquez, Candidate for Kerman Mayor
- Nasreen Johnson, State Center Community College District Trustee
- Destiny Rodriguez, State Center Community College District Trustee
- Magdalena Gomez, State Center Community College District Trustee
- Karla Kirk, Central Unified School Boardmember
- Naindeep Singh, Central Unified School Boardmember
- North Coast States Carpenters Union
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Joint Council 7
- Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1027
- SEIU Local 1000
- SEIU Local 2015
- SEIU United Healthcare Workers West
- Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings Central Labor Council
- National Association of Social Workers – California
- Dolores Huerta Action Fund
- National Women’s Political Caucus
- CAIR Action
- Planned Parenthood
- Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) – Fresno/San Joaquin Valley PAC
- Cynthia Sterling, BWOPA Fresno/San Joaquin PAC President
- Latinas Lead
- California Women’s List
- Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club
- Fresno County Stonewall Democratic Club
- San Joaquin Valley Democratic Club
- Clovis Democratic Club
- Central Valley Progressive PAC
- Valley Voters PAC
- Central Valley Latino Democrats
- FUERZA
Who are Pacheco’s top donors?
Pacheco has raised about $169,000 in her bid for the county supervisor’s seat. The bulk of that money, about $105,000, has come since the June primary.
Here are Pacheco’s top donors heading into November. Some entities donated more than once to reach the total amount listed below.
- Soria for Senate, which has donated $22,788.83
- Dignity CA SEIU Local 2015, which has donated $20,000
- Luz Cabrera, a real estate developer and contractor, who has donated $10,000
- LCCC PAC, which has donated $10,000
- Jay Gill, founder of Gil Auto Group, who has donated $7,674.33
- North Coast States Regional Council of Carpenters Power PAC, which has donated $5,900
- John Dreher, business owner of Rincon Consultants Inc., who has donated $5,348.13
- Urvi Dunnington, a retired individual, who has donated $5,348.13
- IPX Power USA LLC, a clean energy power producer, which has donated $5,000
- Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1027 PAC, which has donated $5,000
