Sonoma County to appoint Evelyn Mendez as first standalone Registrar of Voters

Evelyn Mendez, a dedicated public servant with nearly 30 years of experience overseeing elections at the state and county level, is set to be appointed as the first standalone Sonoma County Registrar of Voters.

The Board of Supervisors, which is the appointing authority, will affirm Mendez’s appointment at its July 22 meeting. The new department was created on Jan. 28. Previously, Sonoma County had a combined elected Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters office. The Clerk-Recorder-Assessor will continue to be an elected position currently under the leadership of Deva Proto.

Mendez comes to Sonoma County from the County of Santa Clara, where she has served as a division manager in the Registrar of Voters Department for six years.She previously worked in the California Secretary of State Elections Division since 1996, working up to become a program manager. She has worked more than 110 elections at the state and county level.

“With her robust experience in running elections, Evelyn Mendez will continue to uphold the integrity and trust in our election system,” said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “The Board was intentional in creating a standalone Registrar of Voters Department to eliminate the inherent conflict of interest in having an elected official overseeing elections. We are excited to have Evelyn serve as our first appointed Registrar of Voters.”

Mendez has a bachelor's degree from California State University, Sacramento. An avid sports fan, she and her husband have two adult children.

Mendez will oversee the next scheduled election on Nov. 4, when seven small districts hold elections. The 2026 election cycle includes a June primary and a November General Election. Her starting salary will be $195,041.

Media Contact:
Matt Brown, Supervising Communications Specialist
publicaffairs@sonomacounty.gov
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403