Who the Heck Are These Candidates for Judge?
Most voters have no clue who the judicial candidates are on the March 3rd ballot. But if you care about crime and criminal justice, you need to know who you're putting on the bench.
There are six candidates running for three open judge seats. They all have very different legal careers, ranging from criminal law to civil litigation experience. Some are currently working as public defenders. Judicial races are nonpartisan, but their endorsements provide clues about their political and judicial philosophies.
Do you have any idea who you're going to vote for?
Hear from the judge candidates and be an informed voter.
Watch video from the Judicial Candidate Forum sponsored by Stop Crime SF.
Seat 21 — Rani Singh vs. Carolyn Gold (starts at -1:19:00)
Seat 18 — Dorothy Chou Proudfoot vs. Michelle Tong (starts at -57:51)
Seat 1 — Pang Ly vs. Maria Evangelista (starts at -27:07)
And keep reading, because this blog post compares the professional and personal background of all six judicial candidates — and lists their endorsements. Keep scrolling and we even include a section about why we vote for judges in California and how our process compares to other states.
We hope this information will make you a wiser voter and confident in the judges you choose.
COMPARISON OF JUDICIAL CANDIDATES
SEAT 1
Pang Ly vs. Maria Evangelista
Pang Ly
Pang Ly
Website: https://PangLy.com
Personal
“In 1979 I arrived in America as a child refugee from Vietnam and grew up in poverty living in Missouri with my six siblings and parents. Despite the difficulties and losing my father, I was the first in my family to graduate from college and law school. The hardships strengthened my commitment as a lawyer, currently working and living in San Francisco these past 15 years, to advancing justice for all.”
Professional
University of Missouri Law School.
Practiced litigation in St. Louis and became an assistant prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County where she managed and tried DUI, elder abuse and domestic violence cases. In 2000, started civil litigation practice in San Francisco with work on construction defects, professional liability, contract disputes, and Asbestos complex litigation. Hired by San Francisco County Superior Court in 2010 as part of the newly created Asbestos Department. In 2016, was elevated to Commissioner Pro Tem charged with resolving civil cases.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
29 San Francisco County Superior Court judges
David Chiu, Assemblymember
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
Carmen Chu, San Francisco Assessor
Nancy Tung, Alameda County Deputy District Attorney
Mary Jung, former Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party
Rev. Amos C. Brown
United Democratic Club
Eastern Neighborhoods Democratic Club
Maria Evangelista
Maria Evangelista
Website: www.evangelista4judge.com
Personal
“I was born to undocumented parents who worked their lives as farmworkers and laborers and gave me an opportunity to grow up, become educated and serve my community. I was raised and educated in San Francisco, was one of the first Chicanas to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School, and have served as a public defender to give those who can’t afford an attorney equal access to justice. My commitment is to make sure our San Francisco courts are a place where everyone gets equal justice, regardless of their income, race, ethnic background or the language they speak.”
Professional
Vanderbilt Law School.
San Francisco public defender.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
1 San Francisco County Superior Court judge
1 Santa Clara County Superior Court judge
4 Los Angeles County Superior Court judges
Eleni Kounalakis, Lt. Governor of California
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer (Dual)
Malia Cohen, California Board of Equalization Member
Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights Leader
Dennis Herrera, San Francisco City Attorney
Mano Raju, San Francisco Public Defender
Norman Yee, San Francisco Board of Supervisors President
Sandra Lee Fewer, San Francisco Supervisor
Matt Haney, San Francisco Supervisor
Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Supervisor
Aaron Peskin, San Francisco Supervisor
Dean Preston, San Francisco Supervisor
Hillary Ronen, San Francisco Supervisor
Gordon Mar, San Francisco Supervisor
Shamann Walton, San Francisco Supervisor
David Campos, San Francisco Democratic Party Chair
San Francisco Democratic Party
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters
San Francisco Women's Political Committee
San Francisco Tenants Union
San Francisco Latino Democrats
San Francisco Laraza Lawyers Organization
San Francisco Berniecrats
Irish American Democrats USA
ILWU, Northern California District Council
UFCW, Local 648
SEAT 18
Dorothy Chou Proudfoot vs. Michelle Tong
Dorothy Chou Proudfoot
Dorothy Chou Proudfoot
Website: www.dorothyproudfoot.com
Personal
“Dorothy is a California native, who grew up in a three-generation, bilingual household in Southern California. She is the second of three daughters of Chinese immigrants who were both raised in Taiwan before emigrating to the United States for graduate school. In her childhood, her father was the pastor of a Chinese church and her mother conducted insulin research at UC Irvine before becoming a church administrator. Her maternal grandmother, also an immigrant, has lived with them since 1974. Dorothy met her spouse Tom, a computer game programmer and saxophonist, in the Cal Band. They have been married for over 22 years.”
Professional
UC Berkeley School of Law.
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the San Francisco Rent Board, where she presides over arbitration hearings in residential rent control cases and mediates landlord-tenant disputes. Prior to her service with the City and County of San Francisco, she was a Deputy District Attorney in Marin County for sixteen years, handling all types of state criminal violations, specializing in gang violence and sexual assault. From 2008-2009, she served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, assigned to the San Francisco office, to prosecute federal offenses in Project Safe Childhood and Project Safe Neighborhood cases. Prior to her criminal law practice, she practiced civil litigation at a San Francisco law firm.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
15 San Francisco County Superior Court judges
8 Marin County Superior Court judges
8 Alameda County Superior Court judges
2 Contra Costa County Superior Court judges
1 Santa Clara County Superior Court judge
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
Scott Wiener, California State Senator
David Chiu, Assemblymember
Sheriff Paul Miyamoto
Supervisor Catherine Stefani
Norman Yee, President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (dual endorsement)
Damon Connolly, Supervisor, Marin County; Metropolitan Transportation Commissioner
Thea Selby, San Francisco City College Trustee
Mary Jung, Member and Former Chair, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
Rachel Norton, San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee
Chinese American Democratic Club
Eastern Neighborhoods Democratic Club
Edwin M. Lee Asian Pacific Democratic Club
Potrero Hill Democratic Club
SF Green Party (dual endorsement)
San Francisco Women's Political Committee
United Democratic Club
Queen's Bench Bar Association
Michelle Tong
Michelle Tong
Website: www.tong4judge.com
Personal
“Michelle is the youngest of two daughters to Chinese immigrant parents. She grew up in a bilingual household in Sacramento and attended public high schools. Michelle’s father is a retired engineer with State of California and her mother was a small salon business owner for over 35 years. Michelle’s career path started in undergrad at the Asian Law Alliance in San Jose, where she helped immigrants navigate their way to become US citizens. This work resonated with Michelle because of the countless stories of struggle and sacrifice she heard from her own family who emigrated from Hong Kong.”
Professional
McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.
Michelle went on to defend tenants that were being wrongfully evicted at the Eviction Defense Collaborative. She then joined the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office in January 2004.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
7 San Francisco County Superior Court judges
Chesa Boudin, SF District Attorney
Mano Raju, SF Public Defender
Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee (Dual)
Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer
Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Supervisor Hillary Ronen
Supervisor Matt Haney
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Supervisor Shamann Walton
Supervisor Dean Preston
Supervisor Gordon Mar
Mark Leno, Former State Senator
Tom Ammiano, Former California State Assembly-member
Eric Mar, Former SF Supervisor
Matt Gonzalez, Former President, SF Board of Supervisors
David Campos, Chair, SF Democratic Party, Former Supervisor
SF Democratic Party
San Francisco Tenants Union
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
SF Young Democrats
Progressive Democrats of America CA, SF Chapter
SF Berniecrats, Local Our Revolution Chapter
SF League of Pissed Off Voters
ILWU Local 34
SEAT 21
Rani Singh vs. Carolyn Gold
Rani Singh
Rani Singh
Website: www.singhforjudge.com
Personal
”Born in San Francisco and raised in an ‘East Meets West’ household, Rani benefited from the best of both worlds, celebrating her rich Punjabi Sikh Heritage, while having opportunities that traditionally women from Indian culture were not afforded. Rani’s paternal grandmother, affectionately known as ‘Biji’, helped raise Rani and her siblings, instilling a deep sense of selfless service, one of the primary tenets of the Sikh religion. With strong female role models like her grandmother, mother, and three older sisters, Rani had the drive and support to strive for and reach her goals. Rani’s father, Darshan ‘Dar’ Singh, one of San Francisco's longest-serving Commissioners, came to America as a refugee from the partition of India, seeking an education and a better life, meeting Rani’s mother Olivia when they were both students in the Bay Area. Dar and Olivia raised Rani and her four siblings on 23rd Avenue in the heart of the Sunset District. Rani attended St. Anne’s, Herbert Hoover Middle School, Lincoln High School, City College of San Francisco, and the University of California, Davis. Rani’s life partner Mike is a lieutenant in the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department. They are raising two daughters.
Professional
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
As a Neighborhood Prosecutor she worked with the community and law enforcement to create and implement community strategies to solving problems in the Taraval and Ingleside Districts.
As a trial lawyer, Rani focused on a victim-centered approach while working with some of the most vulnerable victims of both domestic violence and sexual assault.
As a Managing Attorney since 2016 for both the Domestic Violence Unit and the Collaborative Courts and Mental Health Units in the District Attorney’s office, Rani has taken a unique and holistic approach to the cases that fill the Hall of Justice.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
20 San Francisco County Superior Court judges
Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator
Eleni Kounalakis, California Lieutenant Governor
Malia Cohen, Chair, California Board of Equalization
Scott Wiener, State Senator
David Chiu, Assemblymember
Carmen Chu, Assessor-Recorder, City & County of San Francisco
Paul Miyamoto, San Francisco Sheriff
Norman Yee, President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Aaron Peskin, Supervisor, San Francisco
Tami Bryant, San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee
Jen Low, San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee (dual endorsement)
Sophie Maxwell, San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee
Rachel Norton, San Francisco Democratic Party Central Committee (dual endorsement)
John Burton, Former State Senator President Pro Tem
Mark Leno, Former State Senator
Art Agnos, Former Mayor of San Francisco
Katy Tang, Former Supervisor
Emily Murase, Director, San Francisco Department on the Status of Women; Former President, San Francisco Board of Education
Amy Bacharach, Former City College Trustee
Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
Eastern Democratic Club
United Democratic Club
Edwin M. Lee Democratic Club
Potrero Hill Democratic Club
South Asian Bar Association of Northern California
San Francisco Women’s Political Committee
Carolyn Gold
Carolyn Gold
Website: www.carolyngoldforjudge.com
Personal
“After growing up in Ohio, Cary moved to San Francisco at 23 and never left. She has studied, worked, and raised a family in SF’s Richmond district. She and her husband Rob have two children, both born in San Francisco and educated in SF public schools.”
Professional
For 30 years, Cary has been a tenants rights attorney working to prevent homelessness in San Francisco. After leading a uniquely effective battle against wrongful evictions, she now aims to become the first tenants’ attorney on the judiciary in the State of California. Cary founded the Eviction Defense Collaborative, a non-profit agency providing free legal help to tenants who are sued for eviction but cannot afford a lawyer to defend them in court.
Endorsements
(See candidate website for full list as new endorsements are added)
Supervisor Hillary Ronen
Supervisor Matt Haney
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Supervisor Dean Preston
Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer
Bevan Dufty, President, BART Board of Directors
Tom Ammiano, Former State Senator
David Campos, Former Supervisor, DCCC Chair
John Avalos, Former Supervisor
Tom Temprano, Trustee, City College of San Francisco
Peter Gallotta, SF Democratic Party County Central Committee
Keith Baraka, SF Democratic Party County Central Committee
Kelly Akemi Groth, SF Democratic Party County Central Committee
Jen Low, SF Democratic Party County Central Committee (Dual Endorsement)
SF Democratic Party
SF Tenants Union
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
SF League of Pissed Off Voters
SF Berniecrats (local Our Revolution chapter)
Progressive Democrats of America - CA
ILWU Local 34
CALIFORNIA JUDGES 101 & FAQ
California has different types of judges
— Supreme Court (7 justices)
— Courts of Appeal (102 judges)
— Superior Court (1,535 trial judges)
Judges are seated depending on the type of court
Supreme Court: Appointed by the governor and then confirmed by a commission. Must face retention election by the people every 12 years.
Courts of Appeal: Appointed by the governor and then confirmed by a commission. Must face retention election by the people every 12 years.
Superior Court: Nonpartisan elections by the people. If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the June primary election, they are declared the winner. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff between the top two candidates is held during the November general election. If an incumbent judge is running unopposed in an election, their name does not appear on the ballot. The judge is automatically re-elected.
Qualifications to be a California judge
Candidates must have ten years of experience as a law practitioner or as a judge of a court of record.
Why does California elect judges?
The election of judges is in the California constitution. Only seven states do not elected judges. Judges are elected in 43 states in either partisan, nonpartisan or retention elections.
States that do not elect judges (7):
Delaware
Hawaii
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Rhode Island
Virginia
States with partisan elections for judges (18):
Alabama
Arizona
Connecticut
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Missouri
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
West Virginia
States with nonpartisan elections for judges (21):
Arkansas
California
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Kentucky
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Dakota
Washington
Wisconsin
States with both partisan and nonpartisan elections for judges (2):
Arizona
Indiana
States that hold retention elections for incumbent judges after an initial partisan or nonpartisan election (15):
Arizona
California
Florida
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Maryland
Missouri
Montana
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee
States that only have retention elections for incumbent judges (6):
Alaska
Colorado
Iowa
Nebraska
Utah
Wyoming
Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Judicial_selection_in_California