Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra conceded the District 1 supervisor race to Flojaune "Flo" Cofer on Nov. 9, clearing the way for a new voice on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Cofer led Guerra 54.53% to 45.47%, a margin of more than 5,000 votes, after updated results were released Nov. 6, according to FOX40. Guerra said in a news release that he called Cofer to congratulate her and discuss challenges facing Sacramento, including unsheltered homelessness and its impact on city finances.

The results remain unofficial. Sacramento County election officials cannot certify the election before Dec. 1, according to The Sacramento Bee.

Cofer's campaign told FOX40 on Nov. 2 that she had not yet declared victory. She was not immediately available for comment after Guerra's concession, Abridged by PBS KVIE reported.

A historic first

Cofer will be the first Black woman to hold a seat on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and the second Black person to serve on the board since 1993, according to CapRadio. She holds a doctorate in epidemiology and spent two decades in public health before seeking elected office.

The supervisor race was Cofer's second campaign. She narrowly lost to Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty in the 2024 mayoral election by 1,938 votes, FOX40 reported.

What the seat controls

District 1 covers much of Sacramento's urban core, including Downtown, Midtown, Natomas, Oak Park, East Sacramento and Del Paso Heights, according to The Sacramento Observer. The area has a population of roughly 325,000.

The five-member Board of Supervisors oversees the county's $9.2 billion budget and holds authority over health and human services, public safety and infrastructure, CapRadio reported.

Homelessness takes center stage

Both candidates made homelessness a central issue. Guerra said in his concession statement that he looks forward to working with the Board of Supervisors on the issue. "I also call on the Board to join me in advocating for stronger laws at the state level that will allow us to place people in life-saving treatment programs," Guerra said, according to Abridged.

During an Oct. 1 League of Women Voters forum, the candidates split sharply on whether to build a new jail to comply with the Mays consent decree, The Observer reported. Guerra supported a new facility. Cofer opposed it, arguing the county cannot afford a project that could approach $1 billion.

Cofer said the county should stop using the jail as a default response to homelessness and behavioral health crises. About a third of people booked into the jail are homeless, according to figures cited during the forum.

Transition ahead

The election marks the first change in District 1 leadership since 2010. Supervisor Phil Serna, the son of former Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna Jr., served four terms and endorsed Guerra when he announced he would not seek a fifth term, The Bee reported.

Guerra will remain on the Sacramento City Council, where he has represented District 6 since 2015. His current term runs through 2028.