Flojaune Cofer, an epidemiologist and progressive organizer who narrowly lost Sacramento’s 2024 mayoral election, has entered the race for Sacramento County’s Board of Supervisors District 1, saying the county must play a far more active and transparent role in addressing homelessness, public health, racial inequities and regional governance.

Cofer, who received more than 94,000 votes against Kevin McCarty in late 2024, losing by only 1,941 votes, said her decision followed months of reflection after the campaign. Her supporters urged her not to let the momentum for change dissipate.

“County decisions shape our lives at the moments that matter most — during public health emergencies, housing crises, floods, wildfires, and when families need care and support,” said Cofer. “I’m running because Sacramento County can do better by the people who live here — and because leadership at this level must be transparent, accountable, and rooted in care.”

She initially hesitated to enter the race, the election for which is June 2, because she was working to support Mai Vang’s campaign for California’s 7th Congressional District against longtime incumbent Doris Matsui. “We have a limited number of people in this region, and when you’re running campaigns that rely on volunteers and people power, you worry about splitting resources,” Cofer said. “But people reminded me of my own slogan — that more is possible — and that if we want to govern differently, we also have to campaign differently.”

During her mayoral campaign, Cofer said the two questions she heard most from voters were how Sacramento would address homelessness and how the city could work more effectively with the county, which oversees a broad range of public services. “Most people don’t actually know what the county does until something goes wrong,” Cofer said. “But the county is responsible for many of the services we expect the government to get right: mental health, public health, housing stability, emergency response. Strengthening the county strengthens the entire region.”

She said supporters encouraged her to view the supervisor race as a way to direct the energy from her mayoral campaign toward an institution that often operates out of public view but controls many of the systems shaping daily life.

“We spent a lot of time in the mayor’s race talking about homelessness and public safety, and people kept asking, ‘What are you going to do about the county?’” Cofer said. “This is a way to focus attention where it actually belongs.”

What The County Does — And Why It Matters

Sacramento County functions both as a regional government and, for residents in unincorporated areas, as a municipal government. For people outside city limits, the county provides services such as road maintenance, land-use regulation and code enforcement.

For everyone, including city residents, the county oversees major systems that shape daily life, including public health, behavioral health, child welfare and foster care, housing and homelessness programs, the jail, the district attorney’s office and the courts.

Sacramento residents operate under two layers of government: City Hall for local services and the county for health and human services, mental health, emergency care, and much of the public safety and justice infrastructure. That structure often leaves voters unclear about where to turn for help, but it also means county decisions directly affect homelessness response, substance-use treatment, family stability and public health across the region.

“With homelessness, mental health and health care, people often say, ‘That’s the county’s responsibility,’ and they’re right,” Cofer said. “That’s why collaboration matters, but it’s also why leadership at the county level is so important. If the county is strong, the entire region benefits.”

Cofer’s campaign will take on the county’s continued consideration of a roughly $1 billion jail expansion, a proposal she called misplaced given the region’s unmet needs.

“If you ask people what Sacramento most needs, almost no one says an expanded jail,” Cofer said. “They talk about affordable housing, affordable food, child care, health care, and wages that keep up with inflation.”

She also pointed to county decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Sacramento County received hundreds of millions in federal relief funds.

“Public health was told it could ask for about $2 million,” Cofer said. “That alone tells you something is fundamentally misaligned in how priorities are set.”

Homelessness, she said, would be her top priority if elected, with an emphasis on housing placement and prevention.

“Every $100 rent increase increases homelessness by about 9%,” Cofer said. “Stabilizing people where they are is just as important as building new housing.”

Competing Visions For District 1

The District 1 race includes Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra, who has been endorsed by outgoing Supervisor Phil Serna and former state Sen. Deborah Ortiz.

Cofer said Serna’s endorsement of Guerra reflects continuity rather than change.

“This race isn’t about legacies or political stepping stones,” Cofer said. “It’s about whether the outcomes we’re seeing — homelessness, health inequities, environmental degradation — are acceptable. I don’t think they are.”

Kendra Lewis, chair of the California Democratic Black Caucus, said Cofer’s background as an epidemiologist distinguishes her in the race. “Her experience and dedication in public health is significant,” Lewis said. “You don’t see many people with that background running for these offices. That perspective matters.”

Lewis added that Cofer’s loss in the mayor’s race does not diminish her candidacy.

“It’s always positive when people fully participate in our democratic system,” Lewis said. “Voters need choices — choices they know and can trust.”

Cofer began her career at the Sacramento County Department of Public Health more than two decades ago and later helped lead community health improvement efforts locally. She said the Board of Supervisors lacks expertise in the very systems it governs.

“We don’t currently have anyone on the board with a public health background,” she said. “That’s a gap when we’re talking about homelessness, mental health, foster care and racial disparities.”

She pointed to the county’s 2020 resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, saying structural change has lagged behind symbolism.

“You can’t face what hasn’t been named, but naming it isn’t enough,” Cofer said. “We need a racial equity analysis of our budget and our outcomes.”

Cofer, who if elected would become the first Black woman to serve on Sacramento County’s Board of Supervisors, also criticized the structure of county governance, saying long weekday meetings and dense agendas discourage public participation.

“This body has been overlooked and, frankly, too sleepy,” she said. “People deserve to know who their supervisors are and to see them in the community, not just during election season.”

As the campaign unfolds, Cofer said her focus is less on opposing other candidates and more on redefining what local government can accomplish.

“We’ve been told our whole lives that change has to be slow,” she said. “But governments can move quickly when they choose to. The question is whether we’ll be bold on behalf of housing, health and dignity.”