OAKLAND, Calif. — The Alameda County Board of Supervisors officially welcomed Elisa Márquez as the new appointee to the District 2 seat during a swearing-in ceremony in the board’s chambers on Tuesday. Márquez, a lifelong resident of Hayward, brings a wealth of experience and her strong community ties to the role.
In her remarks, Márquez expressed her desire to carry on the legacy of the late Supervisor Richard Valle and continue to serve the community she has dedicated her life to. She emphasized that her focus is on policy, the work of the people and remaining accessible to constituents, even when it means navigating difficult conversations.
“It was never about me, the title or the position,” Márquez said.
The District 2 seat was previously held by Valle, who died earlier this year. Márquez’s appointment was unanimously approved by the board last week, following a selection process that included interviews with four finalists.
Márquez graduated from Hayward High School and Cal State East Bay, where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Prior to her appointment to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, she served on the Hayward Planning Commission, Hayward Human Services Commission and Council Sustainability Committee. In 2014, she was appointed to the Hayward City Council, where she served until stepping down to take up her new role.
Looking ahead, Márquez is expected to be appointed to various committees next Tuesday, including the Public Protection Committee, Joint Powers Authority, Waste Management Authority, Association of Bay Area Governments, East Bay Community Energy and the newly created ad hoc committee on reparations. She will be up for election next March.
The Hayward City Council is also expected to discuss at an upcoming meeting whether to appoint someone within 30 days or hold special elections to fill the vacancy left by Márquez’s departure. Whoever is selected will serve the remainder of her term.
