Courage California Voter Guide

Ventura City Councilmember, and current Mayor, Matt LaVere is from Ventura and has lived there for most of his life. According to campaign materials, he is running for Supervisor to ensure the county that the next generation inherits is even better than the county is today.

LaVere is an attorney. He also serves on several county boards and is an Executive Board Member of the Ventura College Foundation, which supports thousands of students with scholarships and programs. During his time as Mayor, the city began construction on its first full-service 24-hour homeless shelter and began its recovery from the devastating Thomas Fire.

Councilmember LaVere is running for an open seat. The other challenger is clerk Jeff Ketelsen. Supervisor seats are non-partisan, but this seat has most recently been held by Steve Bennett, who identifies as a progressive. LaVere is the best progressive choice because of his deep experience in the Ventura area and a vision for the county that includes all Californians.

According to our analysis, Councilmember LaVere is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
 

Kim Stephenson is from Ventura County and has lived there for over 40 years. According to campaign materials, she is running for election to emphasize sustainability, affordability and accessibility throughout the county.

Stephenson is the Principal of Camarillo High School, where she works to build a positive culture around education for the school’s 2400 students and over 200 employees. She supervised the construction of a Student Wellness Center to address students’ social and emotional needs, and has 25 years of teaching experience in diverse communities across California.

Stephenson is running against Kelly Long, who is the incumbent. Supervisor elections are non-partisan, but Long was endorsed by the local Republican Party in 2016. Stephenson is the progressive choice because of her commitment to put people before profit, and her deep experience working with labor unions (who have endorsed her) and diverse student populations as a successful principal. Stephenson is also being vigorously opposed by Big Oil group California Resources Corporation, which has spent $825,000 to attempt to influence all three Ventura County Supervisorial races.

According to our analysis, Kim Stephenson is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
 

Oxnard City Councilmember Carmen Ramirez is from the San Gabriel Valley and has lived in Oxnard for over 25 years. According to campaign materials, she is running for Supervisor to fight for environmental justice, economic development, and to put the health of citizens at the center of every decision.

Councilmember Ramirez is an attorney. In a 40-year law career, she has been a legal aid attorney helping low income families, worked for the Superior Court helping Spanish-speaking people understand their rights and responsibilities, and served as the Director of Channel Counties Legal Services.

Councilmember Ramirez is running for an open seat. Other challengers are Veronica Robles-Solis, Jess Herrera, Tim Flynn, and Jeffrey D. Burum. Supervisor elections are non-partisan, but this seat has most recently been held by John Zaragoza, a self-identified Democrat. Ramirez is the best progressive choice because of her long track record of championing inclusive policies and environmental justice while increasing transparency and investment in the local economy. Ramirez is also being vigorously opposed by Big Oil group California Resources Corporation, which has spent over $417,000 on attacks against her campaign. Overall, they have spent $825,000 to attempt to influence all three Ventura County Supervisorial races.

According to our analysis, Councilmember Ramirez is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.