Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt is stepping off the political stage, announcing yesterday that he will not seek a fifth term on the Board of Supervisors. The move instantly turns the 2nd District into a wide-open contest and sends local campaigns and voters scrambling to regroup. Rabbitt said he will serve out the rest of his term and spend his remaining time in office focused on water supply reliability and core county services.
As reported by The Press Democrat, Rabbitt made his announcement just hours before the regular candidate filing deadline yesterday. That last-minute decision triggered a five-day extension for the 2nd District seat under state law, pushing the cutoff to March 11. The timing also creates a second open contest on the June ballot for the five-member board, and whoever wins the 2nd District race will start the new term in 2027. Local officials and activists say the surprise shift tightens the campaign calendar for anyone trying to file, organize and raise money in time.
Rabbitt's record and priorities
Rabbitt, 65, has held the 2nd District seat since 2010 and is an architect and former Petaluma City Council member, according to the County of Sonoma. County materials highlight his work on regional transportation and water boards, along with major infrastructure efforts that have been central to planning in the South County. That track record is expected to shape how would be successors define themselves, and what 2nd District voters look for in the next supervisor.
Who’s filed so far
The Press Democrat reports that the Sonoma County registrar of voters confirmed Joanna Paun and John King were the only candidates on file for the 2nd District seat as of the initial March 6 deadline. Paun, a Petaluma school board trustee who launched her challenge in February, has emphasized housing affordability and mental health services in early coverage by KZST. With the filing period now extended, additional hopefuls have until March 11 to jump into the race and qualify for the June ballot.
What to watch on the June ballot
The primary is set for June 2, and according to the state's candidate handbook, a simple majority is enough to elect the supervisor outright and avoid a November runoff. That rule raises the stakes on name recognition, organization, and fast fundraising in a condensed timeline, since the campaign window between a mid-March filing close and early June voting is short. Observers expect familiar local concerns to dominate the race, including housing, transportation projects and water reliability.
Legal questions remain
Rabbitt's decision not to run again lands amid ongoing scrutiny of his past campaign filings and a separate complaint from the county employees union over a proposed county real estate purchase. In a public statement posted by SEIU Local 1021, union leaders urged state review and raised what they described as possible pay-to-play concerns. Campaign finance records compiled by The Ballot Book show adjustments and refunds in Rabbitt's committee reports, which watchdogs and critics have cited as part of a broader look at his filings.
What happens next
The filing extension keeps the 2nd District contest open until March 11 and sets up a compressed sprint to the June 2 primary. The winner will begin the new term in 2027. The tight timeline is likely to favor candidates who already have local organizations or name recognition in place, while newcomers will have to build volunteers, endorsements and funding at high speed. We will be watching for new candidate filings and public statements from campaigns and county officials as the extended window closes.
