Elections often bring uncertainty, but in San Mateo County’s District 4 race, one outcome is assured: the next supervisor will be from East Palo Alto.
The contest, which includes East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez and Councilmember Lisa Gauthier, holds local historical significance. The last representative for the city on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors was Rose Jacobs Gibson, the county’s first African-American supervisor, who served from 1999 to 2013.
In the March primary, Gauthier received 45% of the vote to Lopez’s 25%, advancing them to the general election. Aside from East Palo Alto, District 4 includes Redwood City, Menlo Park, and the unincorporated neighborhood of North Fair Oaks.
Both candidates come from a historically underrepresented and highly diverse community. Once considered Silicon Valley’s last affordable area, rising housing costs have left few attainable options for residents.
East Palo Alto has transformed dramatically over the past decade. Previously labeled the nation’s “murder capital,” it recorded zero murders in 2023.
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Gauthier, who was mayor during most of the period in which the city achieved its historic drop in violent crime, believes East Palo Alto’s collaborative approach to crime reduction could be scaled up district-wide.
“We worked with nonprofits, the religious community, and our police department — many people came together to make it happen,” she said.
Raised in East Palo Alto by a single mother, Gauthier has served 11 years in city government as mayor, vice mayor, and councilmember. Her father was an Army veteran and union cement mason in the county.
The winner of the District 4 seat, currently held by Warren Slocum, who will term out, will join political veteran and former congresswoman Jackie Speier on the board. Speier won the District 1 seat with a decisive victory over Millbrae Councilmember Ann Schneider in the March primary.
Gauthier’s top priorities include affordable housing, reproductive rights, education, and social equity.
“Affordable housing is a priority,” she said. “We don’t have enough units, and those that exist are too expensive. Public safety will also be a focus, ensuring residents feel secure and have strong ties with safety officials.”
Despite her primary lead, Gauthier has continued door-to-door campaigning, especially outside East Palo Alto, through the final weeks of the election season.
“Formulating those relationships early was really important when it came time to run for office,” Gauthier said. “It’s essential to hear what matters to these groups while introducing yourself.”
Outside her public role, Gauthier is a senior vice president of inclusion and belonging at the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and a founding member of OneShoreline, which addresses climate change and sea level rise.
Lopez, one of the youngest mayors on the Peninsula, said that while he’s proud to represent East Palo Alto, being elected supervisor means committing to serve the entire district.
“I’m going to represent the entire district to the fullest, including Redwood City, Redwood Shores, Middlefield, and North Fair Oaks,” Lopez said. “Sea level rise is a major concern in some areas, for example. When it comes to housing, we must plan carefully to avoid overburdening infrastructure and worsening congestion.”
Lopez became mayor at the age of 29 while pursuing his doctorate at Stanford. He sees his East Palo Alto roots as a foundation for representing “all voices” on the board.
“We were the last city in the county to incorporate, back in 1983,” he said, referencing the community-led push for cityhood that emerged in response to redlining in neighboring Palo Alto. “In areas like North Fair Oaks, small businesses have faced significant challenges, particularly during COVID, including parking shortages and limited green spaces. I’ll bring a broad perspective to address these issues, focusing not only on the west side of El Camino but also on the east.”
While most eyes will be on the presidential election, local races like these are vital, Melissa Michelson, a political science professor at Menlo College, said in a previous interview.
“Local government, including county government, has a lot of impact on people’s lives,” Michelson said. “They’re providing services like libraries and healthcare, supporting transportation, and making land-use decisions — all things that matter to families, whether you’re getting your child to school, visiting a local park, or running errands.”