Meet your candidate: Lorena Minor-Montes runs for Imperial County Board of Supervisors District 5
IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) — With Election Day exactly one week away, the race for the Imperial County Board of Supervisors District Five seat is entering its final, high-stakes stretch. Candidates are crisscrossing the region, pitching their visions to voters before the June 2 election.
District Five represents the largest territory on the county map. It encompasses eight different cities, stretching across diverse communities like Holtville, Palo Verde, Winterhaven, and parts of Calexico. Because of its massive geographical footprint, the district faces a unique mix of urban and rural challenges.
Three candidates are currently vying for the open seat: Patricia Lizarraga, John Hawk, and Lorena Minor-Montes. To win the election outright next Tuesday, a single candidate must secure 50 percent plus one of the total vote. If no one reaches that threshold, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff in the November general election.
Candidate Lorena Minor-Montes brings a diverse background to the race, with previous professional experience in the Sheriff’s Office, the City of Calexico, and the State Senate. She argues that the massive size of District Five requires a supervisor who is physically present and accessible to all constituents.
"I would like to visit at least four cities every other month with office hours and meet with the community to see what their concerns are," Minor-Montes said.
For voters living along the border, federal immigration policy and the operations of local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities remain top priorities. Minor-Montes emphasizes that local leadership must actively monitor these facilities and hold authorities to high standards.
“Hold everyone accountable," Minor-Montes insisted. "Make sure you have continuous visits from your legislation, from your elected officials.”
Beyond federal issues, the next supervisor must confront systemic economic challenges at home. Imperial County has long struggled with some of the highest unemployment numbers in the state, a reality the candidates must address directly.
“Unemployment has been at a high rate for as long as I can remember in the Imperial County," Minor-Montes noted. "You need to look for stable ways to bring jobs to the county.”
One proposed solution currently gaining traction is the construction of massive data centers in the desert regions. While these projects promise economic growth and technological infrastructure, Minor-Montes urges caution regarding their placement.
“If a data center does come in, make sure it comes in with the full requirements that it should and maybe not close to a school,” she warned.
While technological development dominates economic debates in the northern parts of the district, the daily commute highlights an entirely different issue: crumbling roads. Drivers across the territory face deteriorating pavement and inadequate transit corridors.
“A lot of the roads are not fully functioning,” Minor-Montes said.
Right off those same struggling streets, local leaders are also dealing with a rising homelessness crisis. Minor-Montes acknowledges that addressing the issue requires looking at the root causes, including addiction, while navigating the difficulties of providing outreach to those resistant to services.
“It has a lot to do with drug use," Minor-Montes stated. "Not everything is homelessness. But it’s just really hard cause some people don’t want the help." Voting takes place next Tuesday, June 2. Local residents looking for more information on candidate platforms, polling places, and mail-in ballots can find resources online by visiting ImperialCounty.org.
