KQED is a proud member of

Supervisor, District 5

Board of Supervisors, District 5

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Belia Ramos(incumbent)55.5%
2,977 votes
Mariam Aboudamous44.4%
2,379 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Why does this race matter? 

The 5th District covers southeast Napa County, including American Canyon, Coombsville and the Napa County Airport. Ramos defeated Aboudamous in a race for this seat in 2020. The race features a familiar Napa County dynamic of a candidate backed by organized labor (Ramos) against a candidate supported by winegrowers and agricultural groups (Aboudamous). In Napa, there are no term limits for county supervisor, so the winner of this race could shape county policy for years to come.

What does a county supervisor do?

Supervisors govern county programs and departments and approve the county budget. Their largest area of spending is traditionally health care and human services. Supervisors are also responsible for local jails and elections, and they make decisions on law enforcement and housing in unincorporated areas of the county. If a supervisor candidate receives over 50% of the vote in the primary, they take office for a four-year term. Otherwise, the top two candidates face off in the November general election.

Candidates

Mariam Aboudamous
Mariam AboudamousCity Council Member, American Canyon
Belia Ramos
Belia RamosSupervisor, Napa County

Key Supporters

This list represents notable organizations and individuals who have taken a position on the ballot measure or candidate, or who are funding campaigns in support or opposition. This list is not exhaustive, and may be updated.

For Aboudamous

  • Napa Chamber of Commerce
  • Napa County Farm Bureau
  • Winegrowers of Napa County

For Ramos

  • Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, state Assembly member
  • Mike Thompson, U.S. representative
  • Napa Solano Labor Council
 

Positions on Key Issues
Candidate summaries are based on interviews with the candidates, questionnaires, statements made at debates and public events, and past news coverage.

In 2022, a sales tax measure to finance fire protection services fell short of passing. What should the county do to sustainably finance these services into the future?

Aboudamous says the Measure L campaign “should have done a much better job in engaging cities“ in Napa County. “Personally, I'm a huge advocate of always looking for various grant opportunities before taxing the voters,” she says, but adds that if there are no grants the county qualifies for, she would be open to the board discussing another ballot initiative similar to Measure L in the future.
Ramos acknowledges Measure L “was not approached in the right way … it wasn’t a collaborative process.” However, she believes county residents are still interested in a long-term funding solution for fire protection services, which includes the current partnership with Cal Fire. She points to the work done by the board in recent years, including the county receiving a $37.5 million federal grant and appointing its first fire administrator, David Shew, to help manage these funds.

It’s been almost three years since the Napa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan was released. Would you say the county is on track to implement the recommendations from the plan? What do you see as the next steps?

Aboudamous says that as supervisor, she wants to work on more ways the county can transmit information to residents during a wildfire, including an emergency radio station. She believes that the county should explore more strategies to further fuel reduction — one of the recommendations from the CWPP — by employing herds of goats, something American Canyon has done. As for controlled wildfires, she’s concerned about the impacts of this strategy on air quality for residents.
Ramos says that a big chunk of the funding to carry out the CWPP has come from grants. The next step, she adds, is for the county to design a long-term maintenance plan, which would include a strategy to keep funding wildfire prevention and protection work. “We now have to go back and make sure that we have an inventory and a progress schedule on how we need to come back and when,” she says.

Right now, farmworkers in Napa don’t receive hazard pay during wildfire season, and advocates argue that farmworkers risk their health when they go out into the fields when the air is smoky. Do you think the county should do more to make sure farmworkers are compensated for the risks they take during wildfire season?

Aboudamous says that “Napa County is leading the way in terms of farmworker protections,” but wants to hear more from both employers and workers before making a decision on farmworker hazard pay. She points to her time on the American Canyon City Council, which in 2021 approved hazard pay for grocery store workers during a COVID-19 spike, and says that she invited both employees and employers to speak on this issue.
Ramos says that “Napa County philanthropically has already done that — not as a county officially, but working with the Napa Valley Community Foundation.” The foundation has worked with the county to deliver food and cash assistance to affected families after wildfires and storms, and Ramos says the county should continue working with philanthropic and industry partners to prepare for the next wildfire season.

Last year, the county launched a program offering forgivable loans to property owners who seek to build accessory dwelling units (also known as ADUs or granny houses) in order to boost the supply of affordable housing. Should the county continue focusing on ADU development or should it take up additional housing strategies?

Aboudamous says that the county must focus on partnering with cities to boost the housing supply. “The cities are better equipped to continue to build more housing. If the county has a stronger relationship with the cities, then the county should continue to identify infill locations,” she says. One issue she believes must always be considered when approving housing developments: access to existing transportation options in order to reduce further sprawl and traffic congestion.
Ramos says that the ADU forgivable loan program has been “highly successful” but says there is still “a lack of [housing] supply at all levels.” She wants for the county to keep working with cities to identify infill project locations for housing projects and to protect existing housing stock. Additionally, Ramos will lead the Association of Bay Area Governments this year and says one of her priorities is to bring a regional housing bond measure to the November ballot.

More Napa County Results

U.S. House of Representatives, District 4

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Mike Thompson (D)(incumbent)62.9%
118,147 votes
John Munn (R)29.9%
56,232 votes
Andrew Engdahl (D)5.9%
11,202 votes

Race called at 4:30 PM PT on March 6, 2024
96.36% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Senate, District 3

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Thom Bogue (R)27.8%
61,776 votes
Christopher Cabaldon (D)26.5%
59,041 votes
Rozzana Verder-Aliga (D)20.4%
45,546 votes

Race called at 6:24 PM PT on March 14, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 4

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Mike Fong (D)(incumbent)
Long Liu (R)
Race called at 8:00 PM PT on March 5, 2024
Associated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

Board of Supervisors, District 2

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Liz Alessio75.9%
6,340 votes
Doris Gentry24%
2,011 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Board of Supervisors, District 4

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Amber Manfree53.5%
3,913 votes
Pete Mott46.4%
3,393 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Board of Supervisors, District 5

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Belia Ramos(incumbent)55.5%
2,977 votes
Mariam Aboudamous44.4%
2,379 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Measure D

Howell Mountain Elementary School District. School bond. Passes with 55% vote.

Yes49.5%
367 votes
No50.4%
374 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Measure U

Lake Berryessa Resort Improvement District. Appropriations limit. Passes with majority vote.

Yes73.2%
63 votes
No26.7%
23 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County

Measure U

Yountville. Appropriations limit. Passes with majority vote.

Yes85.7%
793 votes
No14.2%
132 votes
Updated at 6:50 PM PT on April 3, 2024
Napa County