ROHNERT PARK-COTATI, CA — Cotati Mayor Sylvia Lemus is kicking off her campaign this evening for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors' District 2 seat.
The district includes Cotati, Petaluma, Penngrove, Two Rock, Bloomfield, part of Rohnert Park, and portions of the unincorporated area south of Sebastopol.
Lemus is one of two candidates competing in the Nov. 3 general election for the District 2 seat. She will face Petaluma City Councilmember Brian Barnacle.
The seat is open because Supervisor David Rabbitt is term-limited and cannot seek another term after serving since 2011.
Lemus has based her campaign on her roots in Sonoma County and her experience in county government.
She said she spent more than three decades working in county government before retiring as a bilingual communications specialist in the Sonoma County Administrator's Office.
She said her 33-year career also includes Human Services Department, Child Support Services, and Human Resources.
Lemus joined the Cotati Planning Commission in 2020 and became its chair in 2022 before the Cotati City Council appointed her to fill a council vacancy later that year. In 2026, she became the first Latina mayor in Cotati's history.
In addition to her public service, Lemus helps operate Lemus Family Wines with members of her extended family.
She has also served on local boards, commissions, and nonprofit organizations, including Sonoma Clean Power, the Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, the Sonoma County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Community and Local Law Enforcement Task Force, and the Latino Alliance of Rohnert Park & Cotati, as well as charitable organizations.
According to her campaign, Lemus is focusing on issues including support for working families, public safety, agriculture, environmental protection, and effective county government.
Campaign event details and RSVP
• What: Sylvia Lemus General Election Campaign Kickoff
• When: Thursday, July 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Where: Sally Tomatoes Catering & SOMO Event Center, 1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park
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