Five races on the November 3, 2026 ballot will shape how Fresno and the Central Valley tackle some of California’s toughest health challenges, from poor air quality and unsafe drinking water to extreme heat. EnviroVoters is backing four local leaders in Fresno city and county races and Randy Villegas for Congressional District 22, all of whom put everyday people ahead of special interests.
In this guide:
- Randy Villegas running for Congressional District 22
- Ariana Martinez Lott running for election in Fresno City Council District 7
- Naindeep Singh running for election in Fresno City Council District 1Â
- Joaquin Arambula running for election in Fresno City Council District 3Â
- Maria Pacheco running for election in Fresno County Board of Supervisor District 1Â
Why the 2026 Election Matters for the Central Valley
The Central Valley continues to face some of California’s most significant environmental and health challenges, from poor air quality and unsafe drinking water to extreme heat and inequitable access to healthcare, especially for our rural communities. At the same time, many of our local decision makers have made poor choices over and over again, choosing profit over the health of our communities. That is why this year’s election is a critical moment to change the politics, ensuring that the Central Valley has the bold climate and health leaders who are going to fight against big corporations and hold them accountable for the damage they cause.
Randy Villegas for Congressional District 22
| Covers | Parts of Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties |
|---|---|
| EnviroVoters endorses | Randy Villegas (D), Visalia Unified School District trustee and College of the Sequoias professor |
| Also on the ballot | David Valadao (R), incumbent |
| Why it matters | One of the most competitive House races in the country, in a district where many families rely on Medicaid. |
Ariana Martinez Lott for Fresno City Council District 7
| Covers | East-central Fresno, including the Fresno High, Lafayette Park, McLane, Roosevelt, and Sunnyside areas and the Blackstone corridor |
|---|---|
| EnviroVoters endorses | Ariana Martinez Lott, community advocate |
| Also on the ballot | Nav Gurm, attorney |
| Why it matters | An open seat where just 20 votes separated the top two candidates in June. |
A proud daughter of immigrants, Ariana Martinez Lott has spent the last 15 years standing alongside her neighbors and the Fresno community—advocating for immigrant rights, safer streets, and humane housing conditions. She has always believed real change starts with knowing our neighbors, having each other’s backs, and speaking up for the needs of our communities.
As a mother of two young children, Ariana spends much of her time in city parks and community centers and knows firsthand how critical it is to invest in resources that build community-driven safety, health, and opportunity for young people. She is committed to ensuring everyday people, not special interests, drive decisions at City Hall, prioritizing existing neighborhoods and rejecting decades of harmful urban sprawl that have hurt our environment and left communities behind.
Naindeep Singh for Fresno City Council District 1
| Covers | West-central Fresno, including part of the Tower District |
|---|---|
| EnviroVoters endorses | Naindeep Singh, Central Unified School District trustee and Jakara Movement executive director |
| Also on the ballot | Rob Fuentes, State Center Community College District trustee |
| Why it matters | An open seat; Councilmember Annalisa Perea is running for the State Assembly. |
Naindeep Singh is an educator, community advocate, and longtime Fresno resident who has spent his career fighting to make opportunity more affordable and accessible for working families. From under-resourced classrooms to serving as a Trustee for Central Unified School District, he has seen firsthand how rising costs of housing, childcare, transportation, and education are straining families across Fresno.
As the founding Executive Director of the Jakara Movement, Naindeep has spent over a decade building youth leadership, expanding civic engagement, and delivering real resources to Central Valley communities. Now running for Fresno City Council, Naindeep is committed to bringing the same values-driven, affordability-first approach to City Hall, so District 1 families can afford to live, work, and stay in the community they call home.
Joaquin Arambula for Fresno City Council District 3
| Covers | Southwest Fresno, downtown, and part of the Tower District |
|---|---|
| EnviroVoters endorses | Dr. Joaquin Arambula, emergency room physician and Assemblymember |
| Also on the ballot | Keshia Thomas, Fresno Unified School District trustee |
| Why it matters | Southwest Fresno has long faced some of the city's heaviest pollution burdens. |
Dr. Joaquin Arambula is a longtime Central Valley leader and the first Latino physician elected to the California Assembly, proudly representing communities across Fresno. As an emergency room doctor in Selma, he saw firsthand how lack of access to health care, clean air, and safe infrastructure harms working families—and he stepped up to change that.
During his time in the Assembly, Dr. Arambula has been a champion for health equity, climate investment, and community-centered solutions. He helped secure millions in state funding for Fresno and the Central Valley, including investments in disadvantaged communities through Transformative Climate Communities, public health, affordable housing, river access, arts and culture, and education.
From protecting safety-net programs to delivering resources that strengthen our neighborhoods, Dr. Arambula has consistently shown up for our communities with integrity, lived experience, and results.
Maria Pacheco for Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 1
| Covers | Western Fresno County, including Kerman |
|---|---|
| EnviroVoters endorses | Maria Pacheco, Mayor of Kerman |
| Also on the ballot | Mike Karbassi, Fresno City Councilmember |
| Why it matters | The first time in more than a decade that this seat has gone to a November runoff, in a farm region where water access is a top issue. |
As a young mother, Maria Pacheco experienced housing insecurity and struggled. She consistently worked hard to overcome those challenges, and those experiences have shaped her commitment to serve others and expand opportunity for families across our community.
She currently serves as Mayor of Kerman and is an education advocate, wife, and mother of six. She received her degree in Social Work at Fresno State University and built her career helping families and students overcome the same barriers she faced. She’s developed programs for at-risk youth and helped students access higher education. When rural students, including her children who have special needs, lacked transportation to Fresno City College, she organized community partners to secure a bus, ensuring they reached their classes.
As the first Latina of Indigenous roots to serve as Mayor of Kerman, she’s secured millions for public safety, expanded workforce opportunities, and delivered direct investments to support families.
Now, she is running for Fresno County Board of Supervisors to champion safer neighborhoods, stronger schools, access to quality housing and water, and an economy where everyone has the opportunity to get ahead.
How to Vote in the Central Valley in 2026
Voting in California is easier than you might think, and you have more time and more options than you probably realize. Here’s how to make your voice heard in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Every active registered voter in California is automatically mailed a ballot, so you can vote from your kitchen table, drop it in a box on your way to work, or vote in person.
- Check that you’re registered. Confirm your registration and make sure your address is current at the California Secretary of State’s voter status page. The deadline to register online or by mail is October 19, 2026. But even if you miss that date, you can still register same-day and vote in person on Election Day.
- Get your ballot. Ballots are mailed to every active registered voter between Tuesday October 6 and Friday October 9. Fill yours out at home, on your own time. Do your research to make sure you’re picking the best candidates—resources like EnviroVoters’ voter guide can be a great place to start! We recommend talking to friends and family about their voting plans and researching together.
- Return it your way. Mail it back (the state says it must be postmarked by November 3, but we recommend putting it in the mail before October 31 to be safe), drop it at an official ballot drop box, or hand it in at any voting location. Prefer to vote in person? Polls are open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, and you can find your polling place here.
However you choose to vote, your ballot is your power to protect clean air, safe water, and an affordable future for the Central Valley.
What else is on your ballot?
We’ve spotlighted our five key races in the Central Valley above, but your ballot will have plenty more on it—statewide offices, local seats, and ballot measures that all shape the climate future of your community. To see every candidate we’ve endorsed statewide and in your area, check out our EnviroVoters Endorsements page.Â