North County politics just got a lot more interesting. With Supervisor David Canepa on his way to a new countywide post, Daly City Councilmember Juslyn Manalo and South San Francisco Councilmember Mark Nagales both jumped into the race Thursday to replace him in San Mateo County’s District 5. Their early entries set up a high-profile North County showdown that could shift both the political tone and demographic makeup of the five-member Board of Supervisors. The exact timing of Canepa’s exit will determine whether voters see this contest on a special-election ballot or bundled into November’s already packed lineup.
How the vacancy opened
Canepa captured the county’s Assessor–County Clerk–Recorder job in the June election, with official results showing he took about 56% of the vote, enough to secure the new role outright. That win triggers an opening on the Board of Supervisors and forces a scheduling decision: county officials will decide whether to call a special election or let the race ride to the November general, depending on when Canepa formally resigns, according to San Mateo County Elections.
Candidates step forward
Manalo and Nagales, both familiar names in North County politics, quickly made it official that they will run for the District 5 seat. Manalo, a longtime Daly City officeholder, framed her bid as an extension of work already underway at home. Nagales said he was responding to encouragement from residents and a sense that he could not sit on the sidelines as the seat opened up. Their decisions to jump in were first reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal.
Local resumes
Manalo has spent the past decade as a key player in Daly City government, including three separate turns as mayor. Both her campaign messaging and the city’s official biography highlight her efforts on affordable housing and senior services, according to Daly City. Nagales has eight years on the South San Francisco City Council and also works at BART as a senior government and community relations representative, giving him experience that spans both local city halls and a major regional transit agency. His city role is detailed by the City of South San Francisco, while BART lists his position at the agency.
Why District 5 matters
District 5 covers Daly City, Brisbane and Colma, along with portions of South San Francisco and San Bruno, making it the key North County seat and home to a large share of the county’s voters. That map all but guarantees that turnout in Daly City will be central to the outcome, even as candidates try to grow support in neighboring communities. The mix of cities and unincorporated pockets that contenders must court is laid out on the county’s official district page, according to San Mateo County District 5.
What to watch next
All eyes now turn to Canepa’s timeline. If he resigns early enough, the county could stage a special election dedicated to filling the seat. If not, District 5 will land on the November ballot alongside a crush of other decisions. The San Mateo Daily Journal notes that cities and school districts are expected to float tax or revenue measures this fall, on top of a likely regional sales-tax proposal and as many as 17 statewide measures, setting up an unusually crowded slate for voters.
In the meantime, expect the District 5 campaigns to move quickly into fundraising, endorsement hunting and outreach across Daly City, South San Francisco and beyond. Local elected officials, advocacy groups and neighborhood leaders will be watching not only for clues on where the candidates stand on housing, services and revenue, but also for how the race could reshape the balance on the county board. The next key signals: formal candidate filings, early endorsement lists and any word from Canepa on his departure date, which will lock in the calendar for this North County contest.
