Candidates for Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
2026 Primary Election — June 2, 2026
Office: Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder — a combined county office responsible for appraising all taxable property in Riverside County (the 4th-most-populous county in California, with a secured tax roll of ~$5.7B), recording official documents (property deeds, marriage licenses, birth/death certificates, business licenses), and serving as the county's chief elections officer. The office is nonpartisan. Incumbent Peter Aldana, first elected in 2014 and re-elected without opposition in 2018 and 2022, faces a challenge from Jared McBride. Under the top-two primary system, if no candidate receives a majority, the top two advance to November 3.[1]
Peter Aldana Nonpartisan Age 62 Incumbent Favorite
Incumbent Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder (since 2014) • Riverside
Peter Aldana was elected Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder in June 2014 and has been re-elected without opposition in 2018 and 2022. He has spent his entire career — over 30 years — in the county's ACR office, working in appraisal, supervisory, and management roles before becoming assistant assessor and then taking the top job. He holds a BA from California State University Fullerton and an MA in Education from Azusa Pacific University. Lifelong Riverside County resident. Married to Lucy, two sons (Cristian and Alex). Serves on the California Assessors' Association, County Recorder's Association of California, California Association of Clerks and Election Officers, and International Association of Assessing Officers. Received the American Society for Public Administration's Outstanding Elected Official Award (2026).[2]
Top Issues / Platform
- Fair assessments: Ensure property valuations are accurate and equitable under Proposition 13
- Modernization: Expand remote service offerings, digital platforms, and online access to records
- Customer service: Improve responsiveness, accessibility, and communication with the public
- Exemptions & relief: Increase awareness of and access to property tax exemptions residents qualify for
- Accuracy: Deliver the annual assessment roll on time with high accuracy standards
- Protect public records and streamline document recording processes[3]
Key Endorsements
- Jordan Marks — San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk
- Josie Gonzales — San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk
- Kristen DePaul — Modoc County Assessor-Recorder & CA Assessors' Association President
- Gary Orso & Larry Ward — Former Riverside County Assessors
- American Society for Public Administration — Outstanding Elected Official Award (2026)
- Laborer's Union Local 777, Riverside Sheriffs Association, California Real Estate PAC[4]
Strengths ▲
- 30+ years of experience in the office — knows the job inside and out
- No significant controversies or scandals in 12 years as department head
- Broad bipartisan support from county assessors across California and local law enforcement/labor
- Successfully modernized services (remote access, digital platforms) without drama
- Ran unopposed in two consecutive elections — suggests broad satisfaction with leadership
Weaknesses ▼
- Long tenure (12 years) makes him vulnerable to "career insider" attacks from McBride
- Not known for bold reform — incrementalist approach may not appeal to voters wanting change
- Low-profile office; may struggle to motivate voter interest in a contested race
- As a long-serving incumbent with no recent opponent, has not been tested in a campaign since 2014
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Jared McBride Nonpartisan Age 38 Challenger
Business Owner / Former EVMWD Board Director • Aguanga
Jared McBride is a business owner and first-time candidate for countywide office. Born and raised in Riverside County. Holds a master's degree in management from the University of Chicago and Boston University. Served on the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) Board of Directors from December 2018 to June 2021, representing Division 3 (Lakeland Village, Wildomar, and surrounding unincorporated areas). Resigned from the water board after moving out of the district. Married, raising eight children. Lives in the Aguanga area. Endorsed by Reform California, the conservative taxpayer advocacy group founded by Carl DeMaio. Running as a political outsider promising to audit the assessor's office and cut waste.[5]
Top Issues / Platform
- Stop property tax gouging: End aggressive valuation practices he says inflate assessments beyond reality
- Reduce appeals backlog: Cut assessment appeal backlog by 25% within first year
- Bureaucracy audit: Publish annual report on office waste, efficiency, and administrative spending
- Taxpayer service guarantee: Implement measurable service standards for all tax-order divisions
- Transparency: Make assessment data and valuation methodology clear and accessible to every homeowner
- Streamline the appeals process so residents don't wait months or years for fair hearings[6]
Key Endorsements
- Reform California (Carl DeMaio's taxpayer advocacy organization)
- Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District — former board member (2018-2021)
Strengths ▲
- Fresh outsider perspective — not part of the "entrenched bureaucracy" he criticizes
- Specific, measurable promises (25% appeal backlog reduction, annual audit report)
- Small government/anti-tax message may resonate in conservative areas of Riverside County
- Experience managing budgets on public boards (EVMWD)
Weaknesses ▼
- No experience in property assessment, appraisal, or county record-keeping
- Resigned from only prior elected position (EVMWD) mid-term due to moving — can be framed as not finishing what he started
- Limited endorsements compared to the incumbent's broad cross-county assessor support
- Low-name recognition countywide; first run for county office
- Platform focuses on criticism of incumbents rather than concrete operational plans for the office
- No campaign finance data publicly available — may be significantly outspent
Race Summary & Outlook
This is a classic incumbent vs. challenger race in a low-turnout primary. Incumbent Peter Aldana has held the office since 2014 and has never faced a contested election — he ran unopposed in 2018 and 2022. Jared McBride is running as a conservative outsider promising to audit the office and cut property taxes.
- Aldana's advantage: 30+ years of experience in the office, a clean record, and endorsements from county assessors statewide. He has run the office without controversy and modernized services incrementally. In a low-information county race, the incumbent advantage is significant.
- McBride's opening: Property tax frustration is real — Riverside County has seen rapid home value increases. His message of stopping "property tax gouging" and cutting bureaucratic waste could resonate with conservative voters in the county's inland areas. Reform California's endorsement gives him some organizational backing.
- Turnout factor: In a June primary with no presidential race at the top of the ticket, turnout will be low and skew older and more partisan. Conservative voters energized by the top-of-ticket races may boost McBride's performance.
- Key question: Can McBride convince voters that the assessor's office is broken enough to replace a 12-year incumbent with no scandal? Or will Aldana's low-key competence and institutional support carry him to another term?
Likely outcome: Aldana starts as the clear favorite, but McBride could force a November runoff if he consolidates conservative support and Aldana fails to reach 50% + 1 in the primary.
Primary: June 2, 2026 — General: November 3, 2026