June election includes new districts, incumbents and an ousted Victorville councilwoman
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With the June 7 Statewide Direct Primary Election less than a month away, San Bernardino County Voter Information Guides continue to arrive at mailboxes across the High Desert.
This year, voters are noticing new assembly district boundaries in the High Desert, with the biggest boundary change coming from the redrawn lines courtesy of the 2020 census.
District 33 moves north
This year’s primary includes the transition of State Assembly District 33 from Southern California to the redrawn 33rd District that will cover Tulare and Kings counties and a portion of Fresno County.
District 33, which currently encompasses most of the High Desert, is led by Assemblyman Thurston “Smitty” Smith, whose office is located in Hesperia.
During the November 2020 election, Smith won the 2-year seat with 54.9% of the vote over fellow Republican candidate Rick Herrick.
During the June 2020 Primary Election, Smith garnered 37.9% of the vote, with Herrick picking up 17.2%.
During the election, other primary candidates included a field of democrats such as labor rights activist Socorro Cisneros, Victorville Councilwoman Blanca Gomez, the late Anthony Rhoades and Roger La Plante. Also, Republican Alex Walton.
The 33 District stretches from the Victor Valley to the Nevada and Arizona borders. It also includes several communities in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Come June, High Desert voters will cast ballots in three new State Assembly Districts.
34th Assembly District
With candidates including two incumbents and an ousted Victorville councilwoman, the 34th Assembly District will be of most interest to voters residing in the High Desert.
The district includes Apple Valley, California City, Barstow, Big Bear Lake, Twentynine Palms, and parts of Hesperia, Highland, Lancaster, Palmdale, parts Victorville, and an uninhabited portion of Adelanto.
Candidates include incumbent Smith and Republican Assemblyman Tom Lackey, who currently represents the 36th District, which encompasses the Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys. His office is located in Palmdale
Many experts predict Smith and Lackey will beat out the remaining candidates and will face each other in November.
On May 3, Smith had raised just under $340,000 in campaign contributions, with Lacey trailing with just over $330,000, according to CalMatters.
Also in the District 33 hunt, Republican Paul Fournier a homelessness solutions coordinator; veteran’s advocate Roger LaPlante with no party preference and Democrat Raj Kahlon a real estate investor.
Democrat, retired professor, and ousted Victorville Councilwoman Rita Ramirez Dean is also making a run.
In March 2021, the Victorville City Council voted to remove Ramirez from her seat after they reportedly found that she had not lived in the city for more than half a year.
The 3-2 decision came after City Attorney Andre de Bortnowsky presented a report in which he said Ramirez had been receiving city mail and agendas at her home in Twentynine Palms for at least nine months.
39th Assembly District
Assembly District 39 includes portions of Adelanto, Hesperia, Lancaster, Palmdale, and parts of Victorville.
The candidates vying for the single-seat include Democrats Juan Carrillo, a council member with the City of Palmdale, attorney/educator Steve G. Fox and housing affordability organizer Andrea Rosenthal.
Also on the ballot is Republican Paul Andre Marsh, a community services liaison.
Assembly District 41
District 41 includes portions of Oak Hills, Hesperia and all of Phelan, Pinon Hills and Wrightwood. Incumbent Democrat Chris Holden is running unopposed.
Currently, the 41st District encompasses the northern San Gabriel Valley and is centered in Pasadena.
Holden has a lifetime of experience in public service and business garnered during his many years on the Pasadena City Council and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.
He was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2012 and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.
More: Early voting for June primary underway in San Bernardino County
Voting dates
May 9: Mail ballots are delivered to the U.S. Post Office and early voting begins.
May 23: Voter registration deadline.
May 31: Deadline to request a replacement mail ballot.
June 7: Election Day.
Voter Information Guides will be delivered to the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday, May 3 for the June 7, 2022, Statewide Direct Primary Election.
The guides include a sample ballot, candidate statements, early voting sites and other information about this election.
The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters will also deliver mail ballots to the U.S. Postal Service on May 9 for each of the County’s 1.15 million active registered voters.
Early voting for the primary election begins on May 9 at the Registrar of Voters office at 777 E. Rialto Avenue in San Bernardino during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Voters may either pick up a ballot to vote from home or cast their ballot in person.
Voters can also access their County Voter Information Guide by visiting the Registrar of Voters website at SBCountyElections.com and clicking on the election link.
For more information about voting in this election, please email the Registrar of Voters at Communications@rov.sbcounty.gov or call 909-387-8300.
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Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Primary election includes new districts, and ousted Victorville councilwoman
