Just over a week after Election Day, Noelia Corzo, a trustee of the San Mateo-Foster City School Board, declared victory in the race for District 2 Supervisor for San Mateo County, beating out her opponent, Belmont City Councilman Charles Stone.
Corzo will be the first Latina to hold this position, and for at least two years, she will be the only woman on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
Election night numbers were extremely close between the two, but daily counts over the past week saw the gap widen. After Corzo's lead grew to 51.1 percent to his opponent's 48.9, Stone conceded Thursday morning via email.
Corzo was thrilled.
“This victory sends a message to everyone in our community that we all belong. It’s a victory for the community and it’s a victory for the voters,” Corzo said.
The announcement culminates a race between two very different candidates.
While both are San Mateo natives, Stone, a two-term Belmont City Councilman, declared his run for County Supervisor three years ago, and fueled by endorsements from many public officials, raised significant amounts of money in his bid for the top office.
The daughter of immigrants from Guatemala, Corzo attended local schools, earned a degree in sociology from San Francisco State University, and is currently a social worker working with people with developmental disabilities. Inspired by her son, she ran for school board in 2017, hoping to make improvements in education, including improving equity and parent engagement.
After seeing the struggles of those recovering from the pandemic in the county, Corzo felt called again to represent the community members who needed to be represented the most, including women, children and essential workers. A little over a year ago, Corzo began filing for the Supervisor seat being vacated by Carole Groom.
Corzo's campaign drew on his life experiences and ability to connect with diverse groups in the county.
“Our district needs a Supervisor who has a deep understanding of the vital services our county provides, and as a social worker in this community, I have seen those services in action and recognize the diverse needs of our community firsthand,” Corzo said.
"I want to protect tenants, improve mental health services in our community, and improve the status of women in our county. And I want to improve educational and health outcomes," she said.
The victory is the culmination of Corzo's grassroots campaign, which emphasized equity, inclusion and belonging, and stressed that everyone can make a difference.
«We don't have to live in a world where politics revolves around status quo candidates supporting each other, throwing huge amounts of money at each other, and keeping our system the same as it's always been.
“It’s about you, it’s about me, it’s about all of our lived experiences. It’s about how you can show up and belong, as yourself, in every space, as you are. A lot of people shy away from politics because they don’t feel part of it. And I’m here to tell you that we all belong. It’s our county. We can be part of transforming our community so that we don’t see cycles of division, of income inequality, or of racism,” Corzo said.
His campaign reached out to many long-ignored communities, including Mandarin and Spanish speakers, and made specific efforts to help first-time voters.
Corzo’s commitment to represent all people in San Mateo County is clear.
“As a woman, Latina, former community organizer, mother and social worker, I knew I had a perspective that was missing and needed on the Board of Supervisors.”
“My mother has been a nanny and a house cleaner in this county for decades and knowing that my mother can feel seen and that people like her feel seen embodies the best of our community where everyone belongs and everyone is worthy.”
"I hope to be an advocate for all immigrants. I hope to improve the quality of life for all people in the county," he said.
Corzo will be one of two new County Supervisors elected, joining Ray Mueller who won the District 3 seat over Laura Parmer-Lohan. They will take office in January.
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