Contra Costa County Races

Results are a combination of data provided by the Associated Press (AP) and county election offices. The AP calls winners by analyzing vote tallies and other election data. Check marks are used to denote a winner only when the AP calls a race.

Race to Watch

Board of Supervisors, District 5

Top candidate wins seat.

Shanelle Scales-Preston52.1%
41,317 votes
Mike Barbanica47.8%
37,896 votes
Updated at 7:39 PM PT on Dec 3, 2024
Contra Costa County

Why does this race matter?

For the first time since 2000, the seat to represent eastern Contra Costa County on the board will be up for grabs when Supervisor Federal Glover retires this year at the end of his sixth term. This competitive election could reshape the politics of the district, which includes the cities of Pittsburg, Martinez, Hercules and Rodeo, portions of Antioch and Pinole and about a dozen unincorporated communities.

What does a county supervisor do?

The Board of Supervisors adopts an annual budget, awards contracts for public works projects and professional services, appoints most county department heads, and creates various boards and commissions.

Candidates

Mike Barbanica
Mike BarbanicaCity Council Member, Antioch
Shanelle Scales-Preston
Shanelle Scales-PrestonCity Council Member, Pittsburg

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 Barbanica

  • Steve Glazer, state senator
  • David Livingston, sheriff, Contra Costa
  • Contra Costa Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
  • Police Officers’ Associations of Pittsburg, Martinez, Clayton and Richmond
  • United Professional Firefighters of Contra Costa County

For Scales-Preston

  • Central Labor Council of Contra Costa County, AFL-CIO
  • Mark DeSaulnier, U.S. representative  
  • John Garamendi, U.S. representative
  • Federal Glover, supervisor, Contra Costa 
  • Nancy Skinner, state senator
 

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.

How do you plan to reduce homelessness in the district?

Barbanica says he currently takes a hands-on approach to tackling homelessness in Antioch by helping move encampments to temporary, safe locations and away from residential neighborhoods, schools and parks. He opposed a proposal to buy a hotel for the unhoused because he was against using a “taxpayer-purchased hotel room to solve the bigger problem,” he explains on his campaign website. “Unhoused residents need all-encompassing services to support their desire for a fuller life.”
Scales-Preston says the county needs to build more affordable housing and increase the amount of long-term transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness. She supports initiatives that partner with communities to provide on-site, wraparound services to “stabilize the unhoused and equip them with the tools needed to move into permanent housing.”

How would you improve public safety and restore the public’s trust in law enforcement in light of the texting scandal that rocked the Antioch Police Department and the federal corruption case against current and formerAntioch and Pittsburg officers?

Barbanica touts his work on the Antioch City Council, where he advocated for placing body cameras on police officers and dash cameras on all police vehicles to ensure accountability. When he worked as a police administrator, he says, he was involved in the prosecution of eight officers. “I do not and have never condoned irresponsible, bad behavior from the officers I managed,” he writes on his campaign website.
Scales-Preston says holding police officers and sheriff’s deputies accountable is the first step to restoring trust and improving public safety, and key to that is “facilitating dialogue between police and residents.” She also touts her role on Pittsburg’s public safety subcommittee in helping to provide police with the necessary tools and training to effectively fight crime.

How would you ensure that county tax dollars and resources are equitably distributed to the most vulnerable residents in the district?

Barbanica did not respond to KQED’s request to answer this question.
Scales-Preston says she would prioritize increasing public engagement in the budgeting process so residents can better understand how their tax dollars are being used. She says she’ll seek feedback to find out what resources people need “to thrive in their community.”

More Results

All Contra Costa County Elections

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Have a correction? Contact voterguide@kqed.org.