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Democrat

Elizabeth Romero

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According to our analysis, Elizabeth Romero is the strongest choice to represent State Senate District 28.

About the Race

This is a special election on May 12th to fill the State Senate seat left vacant after Sen. Jeff Stone resigned in November to join the Trump Administration. Romero is a Democrat running against Assemblymember Melissa Melendez (R), a vocal Trump supporter who has strongly opposed criminal justice reforms and voted against legislation to establish mandatory vaccinations in California during her time in the State Assembly. It is imperative that a Democrat is elected to this seat in order to advance progressive policy in Sacramento. There is no question that Asm. Melendez would oppose all progressive priorities.

About the District

California State Senate District 28 extends from southwestern Riverside County through the Coachella Valley to the Arizona border. It includes the cities of Blythe, Indio, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Palm Springs, and Temecula. According to recent election results, Democrats can win this seat as they did in a 2011 special election and in 2006, but Republicans have won in the last two election cycles in 2014 and 2018. Democrats now outnumber Republicans in voter registration in the district.  

Candidate Background

Elizabeth Romero grew up in Thermal, California and is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador. According to campaign materials she is running to represent Senate District 28 to advance inclusive economic growth and opportunity, ensure seniors and people with disabilities are able to keep their homes and live with dignity, work with immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, and defend worker’s rights.

Candidate Record

Romero is currently Assistant Vice Chancellor of Government & Community Relations at the University of California, Riverside where she has helped secure $100 million for the UC Riverside School of Medicine and $15 million for telepsychiatry healthcare to expand the number of primary care doctors and address the mental health crisis in medically underserved communities in the state. She is also an elected member of the Riverside County Board of Education representing Coachella Valley, Desert Center, Desert Sands, Palm Springs and Palo Verde Unified School Districts.

Prior to joining UCR, Elizabeth worked at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest where she helped enroll over 17,000 new people in the Affordable Care Act. Romero also managed the Building Healthy Communities Initiative funded by The California Endowment, where she brought together over 80 groups to address local issues that directly influenced the disbursement of a multi-million investment in the Eastern Coachella Valley. She has also worked for Desert Arc, University Center for Developmental Disabilities and served as a Legislative Assistant to the late Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson and Supervisor John J. Benoit.

Candidate Viability and Support

Romero is an established community leader who has demonstrated the ability to bring people together for consensus-based policymaking that has delivered real benefits to the people of Riverside County.

How to Vote in this Election

The May 12 election encompasses only the 28th Senate District and is being administered by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. To be counted, completed ballots must be received at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than three days after Election Day.

Vote in Riverside County

In Riverside County, voting by mail or making an appointment to vote in person are the two ways to vote in this election.

  • Vote by Mail: All registered voters in the May 12 Senate District 28 Special Election have been mailed a vote-by-mail ballot starting April 13th. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned through the postal service or deposited in vote-by-mail drop-off boxes located at the Blythe City Clerk’s office or the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office. No postage is necessary. Be sure to sign the return envelope. Your signature must appear similar to the original signature on your voter registration form. A Vote By Mail ballot without your signature will not be counted. 
  • Vote In Person: Early voting at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office began on April 13 and continues Monday through Friday (excluding county holidays), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please call (951) 486-7200 to schedule an appointment to vote in person. 
  • Accessible Voting: Accessibility options for voters with differing abilities in Riverside County are available at https://sites.omniballot.us/06065/app/home. If you experience issues, please contact the Registrar of Voters at (951) 697-8966 or by email at rovweb@rivco.org. 
  • Register to Vote: You must register to vote by April 27, 2020 to receive a Vote By Mail ballot in the mail. After the April 27th deadline, you can still register and vote under Conditional Voter Registration (CVR), also known as Same Day Voter Registration. Contact your county elections office to learn more about CVR.
  • Riverside County Elections Website: https://www.voteinfo.net/elections/20200512/2020_05_12.asp

 

According to our analysis, Elizabeth Romero is the strongest choice to represent State Senate District 28.

About the Race

This is a special election on May 12th to fill the State Senate seat left vacant after Sen. Jeff Stone resigned in November to join the Trump Administration. Romero is a Democrat running against Assemblymember Melissa Melendez (R), a vocal Trump supporter who has strongly opposed criminal justice reforms and voted against legislation to establish mandatory vaccinations in California during her time in the State Assembly. It is imperative that a Democrat is elected to this seat in order to advance progressive policy in Sacramento. There is no question that Asm. Melendez would oppose all progressive priorities.

About the District

California State Senate District 28 extends from southwestern Riverside County through the Coachella Valley to the Arizona border. It includes the cities of Blythe, Indio, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Palm Springs, and Temecula. According to recent election results, Democrats can win this seat as they did in a 2011 special election and in 2006, but Republicans have won in the last two election cycles in 2014 and 2018. Democrats now outnumber Republicans in voter registration in the district.  

Candidate Background

Elizabeth Romero grew up in Thermal, California and is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador. According to campaign materials she is running to represent Senate District 28 to advance inclusive economic growth and opportunity, ensure seniors and people with disabilities are able to keep their homes and live with dignity, work with immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, and defend worker’s rights.

Candidate Record

Romero is currently Assistant Vice Chancellor of Government & Community Relations at the University of California, Riverside where she has helped secure $100 million for the UC Riverside School of Medicine and $15 million for telepsychiatry healthcare to expand the number of primary care doctors and address the mental health crisis in medically underserved communities in the state. She is also an elected member of the Riverside County Board of Education representing Coachella Valley, Desert Center, Desert Sands, Palm Springs and Palo Verde Unified School Districts.

Prior to joining UCR, Elizabeth worked at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest where she helped enroll over 17,000 new people in the Affordable Care Act. Romero also managed the Building Healthy Communities Initiative funded by The California Endowment, where she brought together over 80 groups to address local issues that directly influenced the disbursement of a multi-million investment in the Eastern Coachella Valley. She has also worked for Desert Arc, University Center for Developmental Disabilities and served as a Legislative Assistant to the late Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson and Supervisor John J. Benoit.

Candidate Viability and Support

Romero is an established community leader who has demonstrated the ability to bring people together for consensus-based policymaking that has delivered real benefits to the people of Riverside County.

How to Vote in this Election

The May 12 election encompasses only the 28th Senate District and is being administered by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. To be counted, completed ballots must be received at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than three days after Election Day.

Vote in Riverside County

In Riverside County, voting by mail or making an appointment to vote in person are the two ways to vote in this election.

  • Vote by Mail: All registered voters in the May 12 Senate District 28 Special Election have been mailed a vote-by-mail ballot starting April 13th. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned through the postal service or deposited in vote-by-mail drop-off boxes located at the Blythe City Clerk’s office or the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office. No postage is necessary. Be sure to sign the return envelope. Your signature must appear similar to the original signature on your voter registration form. A Vote By Mail ballot without your signature will not be counted. 
  • Vote In Person: Early voting at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office began on April 13 and continues Monday through Friday (excluding county holidays), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please call (951) 486-7200 to schedule an appointment to vote in person. 
  • Accessible Voting: Accessibility options for voters with differing abilities in Riverside County are available at https://sites.omniballot.us/06065/app/home. If you experience issues, please contact the Registrar of Voters at (951) 697-8966 or by email at rovweb@rivco.org. 
  • Register to Vote: You must register to vote by April 27, 2020 to receive a Vote By Mail ballot in the mail. After the April 27th deadline, you can still register and vote under Conditional Voter Registration (CVR), also known as Same Day Voter Registration. Contact your county elections office to learn more about CVR.
  • Riverside County Elections Website: https://www.voteinfo.net/elections/20200512/2020_05_12.asp

 

28th Senate District

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Election Day November 4, 2025
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Statewide Ballot Measures

Proposition #50

VOTE YES

Vote YES on Proposition 50 to approve new congressional district lines and give Californians another pathway to fight back against the Trump administration.

Website

Since day one, Californians have been on the frontlines of protecting our communities under attack by the Trump administration and his MAGA Republicans. With Proposition 50, California voters have another opportunity to fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs and corporate price gouging, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants. 

Proposition 50 isn’t a permanent change to California’s elections, but rather a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Proposition 50 proposes new lines for many of California’s 52 congressional districts, which would negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas. If passed, the new California congressional districts would be in effect solely for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections, after which redistricting would be returned to the state’s independent redistricting commission following the 2030 census. Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda. 

While the new Texas districts minimize the power of voters – especially voters of color and people who voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 – and were passed without any public input, the proposed California map was drawn with public input, and it is ultimately up to voters to approve.

Why voting YES on Proposition 50 matters

  • Trump has been able to achieve much of his agenda due to the current regime’s narrow majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives (219-212) and Senate (51-49), which has refused to put checks on his power.
  • In July, Trump used those narrow Republican House and Senate majorities to pass a federal budget that will cut healthcare coverage for 15 million people, cut renter support by more than half, raise the cost of student loans for nearly 43 million student loan borrowers, defund Planned Parenthood, and much more – all to pay for tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy and triple the budget for inhumane attacks on immigrant communities. All of this was done against the will of the people, 2 in 3 of whom opposed the new budget, which is why Trump and MAGA Republicans are trying to rig the midterm elections in favor of Republicans. In contrast, House and Senate Democrats have authored bills to expand Medicare to provide health insurance to all Americans, fund more affordable housing, make public colleges and universities tuition-free, protect abortion nationwide, and provide a pathway to citizenship – none of which will pass with Republican majorities.
  • California is currently represented by 43 Democrats and 9 Republicans in the House, and 2 Democrats in the Senate. All nine Republicans voted in favor of the federal budget, and all Democrats voted against it. If voters pass Proposition 50, California House representation could shift to 48 Democrats and 4 Republicans, and determine majority control of the House.
  • This special election is ultimately about Californians defending our democracy –  leading the nation as Trump and Republican leaders try to erase the voting power of Black and Latino voters in Texas and other states. In red states, mid-decade redistricting is being led by political legislators ignoring the will of the people, but in California, voters will have the final say on the new map and on how we want our leaders to stand up for our state and nation. And then we can fight back against the billionaire-backed raids on our communities, our social safety net, and our wallets.
     

Support for Proposition 50:

  • Yes on Prop 50 is supported by California and national Democrats and progressives, including former President Barack Obama, former Attorney General and chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee Eric Holder, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
  • California groups and leaders, like Courage California, SEIU California, the California Labor Federation, California Teachers Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, California Working Families Party, and organizations that worked on the Census and redistricting in 2020, like Inland Empire United and Communities for a New California Action Fund.
  • Supporters back Proposition with the understanding that it is a temporary solution and that redistricting will return to the independent redistricting commission in 2030.
  • The Stop Election Rigging Response Act ballot measure committee of Governor Newsom in support of Prop 50 has raised over $13 million, with significant contributions from Governor Newsom’s campaign committees, House Majority PAC, California Teachers Association, SEIU California, and California Labor Federation, several business and tech executives, and other individual donors. 
     

Opposition to Proposition 50: 

  • No on Prop 50 is supported by California and national Republicans, some of whom helped establish the independent redistricting commission, like former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Republican megadonor Charles Munger Jr.
  • Several state Republicans and Democrats have expressed opposition or doubt about Proposition 50, as well as concerns about how mid-decade redistricting would play out across the nation and in the long term.
  • Munger – who has supported Republican candidates, anti-abortion centers, and anti-LBGTQ+ groups – established the Protect Voters First committee and is the primary funder of the committee, having committed $30 million to oppose Prop 50.
  • The Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab committee is led by former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson. 
     

Disinformation about Proposition 50:

  • Mid-decade redistricting in California is in the hands of the voters and is NOT a threat to our democracy and fair elections – the real threat is an authoritarian president attacking our cities and communities, dismantling the programs and services we all depend on, and instructing Republican state leaders to rig their elections without any voter input.
  • Proposition 50 does NOT dismantle or attack the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The ballot measure gives voters the choice on whether or not to adopt a new, temporary congressional map until the commission resumes redistricting on its usual timeline after the 2030 census.
  • The proposed maps have NOT been secret. The state legislature published interactive maps, held public hearings, and welcomed public comment on the maps before they voted to put Proposition 50 on the ballot in August. Voters will have the final say on our congressional map. None of the Republican-led states considering mid-decade redistricting has given its voters any opportunity to weigh in on new maps.
  • Misleading No on Prop 50 flyers have included quotes from organizations that support election reforms and voter rights, like California Common Cause and the League of Women Voters California. Neither organization opposes Proposition 50. In fact, Common Cause has judged that California’s redistricting ballot measure meets its fairness criteria, while Texas’s does not.
     

Key Special Election Dates

The last day to register to vote: October 20, 2025

For eligible citizens who miss the voter registration deadline, Same Day Voter Registration is available at county elections offices, polling places, or vote centers.

All California registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot from your county elections office starting October 6, 2025.

Return your vote-by-mail ballots by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

  • Ballot drop-off locations open on October 7
  • Vote centers open for early in-person voting in Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning October 25
  • Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12 to be counted. Get your ballot in early to make sure it gets counted!
     

Go to Your Power is Your Vote to register to vote, check your voter registration, and sign up for election reminders. Sign up to track your ballot directly through the California Secretary of State’s BallotTrax.  

>> Make sure you are registered to vote, and return your Yes on Proposition 50 ballot by November 4, 2025! <<

Since day one, Californians have been on the frontlines of protecting our communities under attack by the Trump administration and his MAGA Republicans. With Proposition 50, California voters have another opportunity to fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs and corporate price gouging, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants. 

Proposition 50 isn’t a permanent change to California’s elections, but rather a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Proposition 50 proposes new lines for many of California’s 52 congressional districts, which would negate the five Republican seats drawn by Texas. If passed, the new California congressional districts would be in effect solely for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections, after which redistricting would be returned to the state’s independent redistricting commission following the 2030 census. Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda. 

While the new Texas districts minimize the power of voters – especially voters of color and people who voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 – and were passed without any public input, the proposed California map was drawn with public input, and it is ultimately up to voters to approve.

Why voting YES on Proposition 50 matters

  • Trump has been able to achieve much of his agenda due to the current regime’s narrow majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives (219-212) and Senate (51-49), which has refused to put checks on his power.
  • In July, Trump used those narrow Republican House and Senate majorities to pass a federal budget that will cut healthcare coverage for 15 million people, cut renter support by more than half, raise the cost of student loans for nearly 43 million student loan borrowers, defund Planned Parenthood, and much more – all to pay for tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy and triple the budget for inhumane attacks on immigrant communities. All of this was done against the will of the people, 2 in 3 of whom opposed the new budget, which is why Trump and MAGA Republicans are trying to rig the midterm elections in favor of Republicans. In contrast, House and Senate Democrats have authored bills to expand Medicare to provide health insurance to all Americans, fund more affordable housing, make public colleges and universities tuition-free, protect abortion nationwide, and provide a pathway to citizenship – none of which will pass with Republican majorities.
  • California is currently represented by 43 Democrats and 9 Republicans in the House, and 2 Democrats in the Senate. All nine Republicans voted in favor of the federal budget, and all Democrats voted against it. If voters pass Proposition 50, California House representation could shift to 48 Democrats and 4 Republicans, and determine majority control of the House.
  • This special election is ultimately about Californians defending our democracy –  leading the nation as Trump and Republican leaders try to erase the voting power of Black and Latino voters in Texas and other states. In red states, mid-decade redistricting is being led by political legislators ignoring the will of the people, but in California, voters will have the final say on the new map and on how we want our leaders to stand up for our state and nation. And then we can fight back against the billionaire-backed raids on our communities, our social safety net, and our wallets.
     

Support for Proposition 50:

  • Yes on Prop 50 is supported by California and national Democrats and progressives, including former President Barack Obama, former Attorney General and chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee Eric Holder, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
  • California groups and leaders, like Courage California, SEIU California, the California Labor Federation, California Teachers Association, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, California Working Families Party, and organizations that worked on the Census and redistricting in 2020, like Inland Empire United and Communities for a New California Action Fund.
  • Supporters back Proposition with the understanding that it is a temporary solution and that redistricting will return to the independent redistricting commission in 2030.
  • The Stop Election Rigging Response Act ballot measure committee of Governor Newsom in support of Prop 50 has raised over $13 million, with significant contributions from Governor Newsom’s campaign committees, House Majority PAC, California Teachers Association, SEIU California, and California Labor Federation, several business and tech executives, and other individual donors. 
     

Opposition to Proposition 50: 

  • No on Prop 50 is supported by California and national Republicans, some of whom helped establish the independent redistricting commission, like former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Republican megadonor Charles Munger Jr.
  • Several state Republicans and Democrats have expressed opposition or doubt about Proposition 50, as well as concerns about how mid-decade redistricting would play out across the nation and in the long term.
  • Munger – who has supported Republican candidates, anti-abortion centers, and anti-LBGTQ+ groups – established the Protect Voters First committee and is the primary funder of the committee, having committed $30 million to oppose Prop 50.
  • The Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab committee is led by former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson. 
     

Disinformation about Proposition 50:

  • Mid-decade redistricting in California is in the hands of the voters and is NOT a threat to our democracy and fair elections – the real threat is an authoritarian president attacking our cities and communities, dismantling the programs and services we all depend on, and instructing Republican state leaders to rig their elections without any voter input.
  • Proposition 50 does NOT dismantle or attack the independent California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The ballot measure gives voters the choice on whether or not to adopt a new, temporary congressional map until the commission resumes redistricting on its usual timeline after the 2030 census.
  • The proposed maps have NOT been secret. The state legislature published interactive maps, held public hearings, and welcomed public comment on the maps before they voted to put Proposition 50 on the ballot in August. Voters will have the final say on our congressional map. None of the Republican-led states considering mid-decade redistricting has given its voters any opportunity to weigh in on new maps.
  • Misleading No on Prop 50 flyers have included quotes from organizations that support election reforms and voter rights, like California Common Cause and the League of Women Voters California. Neither organization opposes Proposition 50. In fact, Common Cause has judged that California’s redistricting ballot measure meets its fairness criteria, while Texas’s does not.
     

Key Special Election Dates

The last day to register to vote: October 20, 2025

For eligible citizens who miss the voter registration deadline, Same Day Voter Registration is available at county elections offices, polling places, or vote centers.

All California registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot from your county elections office starting October 6, 2025.

Return your vote-by-mail ballots by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

  • Ballot drop-off locations open on October 7
  • Vote centers open for early in-person voting in Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning October 25
  • Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12 to be counted. Get your ballot in early to make sure it gets counted!
     

Go to Your Power is Your Vote to register to vote, check your voter registration, and sign up for election reminders. Sign up to track your ballot directly through the California Secretary of State’s BallotTrax.  

>> Make sure you are registered to vote, and return your Yes on Proposition 50 ballot by November 4, 2025! <<