Anisa Escobedo, one of three candidates for the Ward 3 city council seat, has announced her withdrawal from the race, citing ongoing health issues—her departure leaves only Warren Avery and Steven Robillard as the remaining contenders in the race. Current Ward 3 Councilmember Ronaldo Fierro is not running for reelection; he is instead running for the California State Assembly 58th District seat.
Escobedo, who announced her candidacy in September with a promise to bring fresh perspectives to the City Council, expressed regret about her decision. "I decided not to run this election cycle because of ongoing health-related issues. However, I will serve my city in any way I can and appreciate the support my campaign received," Escobedo said via email.
The recent redistricting of Ward 3 was set to be a significant factor in this election cycle, given that only 5,556 Riversiders voted for the Ward 3 council seat in November 2019, when Ronaldo Fierro beat Warren Avery by 324 votes.
RUSD’s first Asian American board member, known for his student-centric approach and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, will step down in December 2024.
Philip Falcone, Steven Robillard, and Sean Mill were elected in March. Their first vote was to undo action taken by the outgoing council during their final session earlier in the day.
