This story will be updated with results after polls close at 8 p.m. on June 2.
For many people, the functions of the Riverside County assessor are a mystery. But the local elected office, among other things, carries out the important duty of keeping records of all property within a county for tax purposes.
Formally known as the assessor-clerk-recorder, the office also issues marriage licenses and keeps track of marriage, birth and death certificates, as well as other records.
Incumbent Peter Aldana has been in office since 2014. He is seeking a fourth consecutive term and is challenged by the newcomer Jared McBride.
“The best preparation for this job has been doing the work,” Aldana said in response to a questionnaire sent to him by The Desert Sun. “I did not come into the Assessor-Clerk-Recorder’s Office from the outside; I came up through the office, serving in appraisal, supervisory, and management positions. That gives me a practical understanding of the law, the operations, the staff, and the people we serve.”
His campaign has highlighted his experience when compared to McBride, who has campaigned on a message of change.
“The first step is recognizing the problem: too many Riverside County families feel they are being gouged by inflated and outrageous property-tax assessments,” McBride said in one response to the questionnaire. “When assessments soar, tax bills explode — and that can put real pressure on seniors, working families, farmers, small businesses, and homeowners across the county.”
In campaign materials, McBride said he was a business owner, although he does not name the business. His only experience in public office appears to be as a member of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District.
He first joined the board in 2018 and resigned in 2021, according to The Valley News.
Voters have the choice of going with the veteran candidate or ushering in a new era for the assessor’s office.
This is one of the few races on the ballot this June in which a winner could be declared. Under Riverside County election rules, if one candidate receives 50% of the vote, they will go on to win a four-year term and there will be no November general election for that post.
For a race with just two candidates, that outcome is all but guaranteed.
Sam Morgen covers local government for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Election results as Riverside County assessor, challenger face off
Reporting by Sam Morgen, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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