by Vanguard Staff
WOODLAND, Calif. — Yolo County Clerk/Recorder/Assessor Jesse Salinas announced that he will seek re-election, pointing to what he described as a record of strengthening public trust, expanding civic engagement and improving access to essential county services.
Salinas was appointed to the role in 2016, elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. He leads Yolo County’s integrated Clerk, Recorder and Assessor offices, which handle property assessments, maintain official records and administer local, state and federal elections that affect nearly every resident.
“When I first was appointed to this office, Yolo County saw similar voter turnout to the statewide average. I am proud to share that our county is now consistently 10% higher than the statewide average,” Salinas said when discussing his accomplishments.
A longtime Yolo County resident and public servant, Salinas has focused his career on expanding government accessibility and responsiveness. While in office, he has taken on numerous local and statewide leadership roles and currently serves as president of the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials.
Salinas’ work in the Elections Office has drawn statewide and national attention. He has been invited to speak at multiple statewide conferences to share outreach strategies designed to engage younger voters and communities that have traditionally been disenfranchised.
Those efforts have helped the Elections Office earn two national awards. The office received an Outstanding Election Administration award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and a Guardian Award from the National Association of Election Officials for its Youth Empowerment Summit, known as YES, which promotes voting and civic engagement among young people in Yolo County.
County officials said the county’s outreach and partnerships with community-based organizations have been highlighted by foundations and at state and national conferences.
Salinas also led a county initiative to identify and help remove racially restrictive covenant language from historical property records, an effort aimed at confronting discriminatory language while preserving the integrity of public archives. Those efforts drew statewide and national attention and contributed to the passage of Assembly Bill 1466 in California, which addresses such language in property records across the state.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Yolo County,” Salinas said. “Our work supports schools, public safety, and essential services, preserves important life records, and protects every citizen’s right to vote. I am running to continue delivering results with integrity and transparency.”
In his role as county clerk and registrar of voters, Salinas serves as the county’s chief elections official. Under his leadership, Yolo County implemented expanded voting access under California’s Voter’s Choice Act, including vote-by-mail ballots for all registered voters, secure ballot drop boxes and multilingual voter services.
His office has emphasized voter education, election security and transparency as part of efforts to ensure residents can participate confidently in the democratic process.
Salinas has also supported civic engagement initiatives intended to prepare the next generation of community leaders. Through youth programs, educational partnerships and public outreach, the office has worked to increase awareness of local government and encourage lifelong civic participation.
“Strong communities depend on informed and engaged residents,” Salinas said. “I am committed to building trust in government and ensuring every person in Yolo County feels represented and served.”
As clerk-recorder, Salinas has also worked to improve public access to vital records, including marriage licenses, property documents and other official filings.
Salinas said his re-election campaign will focus on continuing to modernize services, protecting election integrity and delivering efficient and equitable services to communities throughout the county.
“I hope to continue my track record of success: providing secure elections, keeping updated and reliable public records, and ensuring properties are fairly and equitably assessed so critical revenues can be provided to Yolo County cities and schools,” Salinas said.
The Yolo County Clerk/Recorder/Assessor is a countywide elected position that serves a four-year term.
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