It’s official: Mario Enríquez will represent Stockton City Council’s District 4 come January.
The San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters on Tuesday released finalized election results, cementing Enríquez’s victory over his opponent, Gina Valadez-Bracamonte, by just over 550 votes.
Enríquez, who will replace termed-out Councilmember Susan Lenz, has maintained a consistent but narrow lead in his bid to represent north central Stockton since the polls closed on Election Day.
Enríquez thanked his supporters in a release, saying he’s looking forward to representing District 4.
“Together, we created a grassroots movement and led with our values — committed to ensuring families can thrive in Stockton, that we address crime, support our unhoused community and address other critical issues impacting Stocktonians,” Enríquez said in the statement. “I look forward to staying engaged with our community to ensure we create a thriving District 4 and the City of Stockton! Adelante!”
Enríquez, the first in his family to attend college, declared victory on his social media platforms a week before the election was certified, although Valadez-Bracamonte had yet to concede at the time. He ran on a platform focusing on public safety, economic development and homelessness.
Enríquez told Stocktonia in a phone interview that since declaring victory a week ago, he has been hard at work communicating with local organizations and setting up town halls to further engage with residents.
Enríquez, who is openly gay, said his training at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in Washington, D.C., helped him on the road to becoming a councilmember.
“I really got a good, deep insight in candidate training, and I participated in about six or seven on my own, on top of my work at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute where I train people,” he said. “Nuts and bolts, I knew it, but then once being a candidate, I saw a whole other side of things.”
The new councilmember said he’s looking forward to working with the rest of the board next year, noting that District 4 residents “spoke loud and clear of the direction they wanted the city to go, seeing fresh new change.”
Enríquez joins newly elected Councilmembers Mariela Ponce, who is representing District 2 and replacing Dan Wright, and Jason Lee, who defeated incumbent Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley to represent District 6. District 3 Councilmember Michael Blower’s term ends in 2026.
Valadez-Bracamonte, a nonprofit leader, trailed Enríquez by approximately 3%, mirroring other tight down-ballot races following the initial release of votes.
Valadez-Bracamonte told Stocktonia in a statement that the race for District 4 was hard fought, and she wished her opponent well. She said what she appreciated most about the race was how cordial it was compared to other local and national races.
“This afternoon, I called Mario Enríquez to congratulate him on becoming the next city councilman for Stockton’s fourth district,” Valadez-Bracamonte said. “I also expressed my willingness to support him as he represents our community. Over the past two years, I have enjoyed connecting with many neighbors, and I respect their decision.”
Valadez-Bracamonte said she may run for office in the future, seeing politics as another way to serve her community outside her role as founder of the Stockton food bank, Bread of Life.
“I am truly grateful to my supporters, volunteers and team who worked tirelessly throughout the past year. I can’t thank them enough,” she said. “I look forward to continuing to serve this community and making it a better place for every Stockton family.