THE PROBLEM
Sacramento Shouldn't Pick Our Supervisors
Right now, when a Kern County Supervisor’s seat becomes vacant, the Governor of California gets to pick the replacement — someone who may have never lived in Kern County, who doesn’t know our communities, our economy, or our values. That appointee answers to Sacramento, not to you.
That system removes local accountability and lets state political calculations override the priorities of Kern County families. Our communities deserve better.
No Local Accountability
A governor's appointee answers to Sacramento — not to the voters of Kern County. That removes the accountability our communities deserve.
Sacramento Decides for You
One politician in the state capital can hand-pick your local representative — with zero input from Kern County voters.
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsed by Local Organizations We Trust
Community leaders and organizations across Kern County stand united in support of Measure A.
THE SOLUTION
Measure A Brings the Decision Home
By adopting a county charter, Kern County residents take back control. Measure A guarantees that when a supervisor’s seat becomes vacant, the decision stays local — made by the Board of Supervisors you elected or through a special election, not by a Sacramento politician with no connection to our community.
OPTION A
Board Appointment
The Board of Supervisors you elected fills the vacancy — local leaders making local decisions.
OPTION B
Special Election
Voters decide directly through a special election — democracy exactly as it should work.
All five members of the Board of Supervisors — Democrats and Republicans alike — voted unanimously to put this measure before voters. Thirteen major California counties, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Fresno, and Sacramento, already have this same local authority.
It’s time Kern County had it too.
A YES vote costs taxpayers nothing.
It simply ensures that when a seat becomes vacant, the people — or their locally elected representatives — decide who fills it.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why Kern County Needs Measure A
Local Control, Not Sacramento Control
Kern County voters — not Sacramento politicians — should decide who represents our communities. This measure keeps decisions about our Board of Supervisors here at home, not in the hands of a Governor who may have no connection to Kern County’s needs and values. From Bakersfield to Tehachapi, from the Valley floor to the mountains and desert of East Kern, our representation should reflect local priorities.
Bipartisan, Unanimous Support
This is not a partisan issue. All five members of the Kern County Board of Supervisors — Democrats and Republicans alike — voted unanimously to put this measure before voters. They agree: Kern County residents deserve the same local authority that thirteen other major California counties already have. When leaders from both parties come together like this, it’s because the cause is bigger than politics.
Accountability to Kern County
A supervisor appointed by the Governor answers to Sacramento, not to you. Measure A ensures that anyone who fills a vacancy on the Board is accountable to the people of Kern County — the ones they are supposed to serve. Our communities deserve representation that reflects local priorities, not state political calculations.
Thirteen Major Counties Already Have This Authority
Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Fresno, and Sacramento are among thirteen California counties that already operate under county charters with this same local authority. Kern County is not experimenting — we’re simply catching up to what other major communities across California already have.