Alameda County, California

AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) Board of Directors, Ward 3

2 candidates are tracked for AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) Board of Directors, Ward 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Adriana Valencia and Joel Young. Candidate information follows official Alameda County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Open seat: the current Ward 3 director, Sarah Syed, is not one of the two candidates on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per AC Transit's official Board of Directors page.

What this office does

Special district board member. Special districts are single-purpose local governments with their own boards and, usually, their own tax levy. The board adopts the budget, sets the levy within voter-approved limits, hires the director and approves capital projects. The board's powers are limited to the district's purpose.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels.

California › Alameda County › AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) Board of Directors, Ward 3

Adriana Valencia

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Reliable and affordable transit service
Better connections between buses, BART and ferries
Safer streets for walking and biking

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Valencia is a product and project leader with more than 25 years of experience in the East Bay, per the campaign site. Valencia holds a PhD in architecture from UC Berkeley along with a master's and bachelor's degree in Near Eastern studies, and has worked in B2B technology, marketplaces, and consumer products, per the campaign site. Valencia has been active in community organizing on affordable housing and safe routes to school, and chairs the Temescal/Telegraph Business Improvement District's design and economic development committee, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Joel Young

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

transitioning the bus fleet to a fully zero emission fleet by 2030
piloting integration of new transportation technologies
maintaining affordable and reliable base bus service

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Joel Young is a partner at The Tidrick Law Firm, focusing on employment law, per the campaign site. Young serves on the AC Transit Board of Directors and says the tenure has included funding for hydrogen fuel cell bus programs and expanded local business contracting, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotRegional Transit Measure RTM

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) Board of Directors, Ward 3 in 2026?

When is the AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) Board of Directors, Ward 3 election in California?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for California are on the California election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Alameda County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Alameda County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official California election office, or see the full Alameda County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Alameda County ballot

10 tracked races in Alameda County, California. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

California Senate District 10 California Assembly District 14 California Assembly District 16 See all 10 Alameda County races

Candidate profiles

Adriana Valencia, full profile Joel Young, full profile Official California election office