2026 General Election · El Dorado County Supervisor, Comparison Matrix

El Dorado County Board of Supervisors District 4

Ted Gaines vs. Gina Posey — November 3, 2026

Prepared: August 7, 2026 | Revised: August 8, 2026 | Sources: El Dorado County Elections, California Secretary of State, California Legislative Information, candidate websites, Mountain Democrat, Village Life, Georgetown Gazette, Sacramento Bee, CapRadio

District Context

District 4 is a nonpartisan county office covering Rescue, Cool, Pilot Hill, Garden Valley, Greenwood, Coloma, Lotus and the Georgetown Divide, plus portions of unincorporated Placerville, Shingle Springs, Cameron Park and El Dorado Hills. The seat is open — incumbent Lori Parlin is termed out. Four candidates ran in the June 2 primary; in the county's election-night final summary, Ted Gaines led with 46.89% and Gina Posey placed second with 25.59%, followed by Greg Clark (18.98%) and Robert Deitz II (8.40%). Because no candidate reached a majority, the top two advanced to the November 3 runoff. The central contrast is long-term elected and state political experience versus long-term District 4 residency and local civic service.

Ted Gaines (Chair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator) · www.tedgaines.com · Gina Posey (District 4 Community Leader · Business Executive) · www.posey4supervisor.com

Background
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
Chair of the California State Board of Equalization, First District. Elected November 2018, took office January 2019, reelected 2022; now term-limited and ineligible to seek reelection to the Board. Twelve years in the California Legislature: State Assembly, 4th District (2006–2011) and State Senate, 1st District (2011–2019). Six years on the Placer County Board of Supervisors (elected 2000, reelected 2004) and two years on the Roseville Planning Commission (appointed 1997). Owner of Gaines Insurance, based in Roseville, for more than 30 years. Campaign states he and his wife moved to El Dorado County about a decade ago and built their Shingle Springs home about five years ago. Ballot designation: “Taxpayer Advocate.” Describes himself as a conservative; the District 4 supervisor seat is nonpartisan. Declined the League of Women Voters of El Dorado County District 4 candidate forum (April 30, 2026); the other three candidates participated.	District 4 resident for more than 20 years, living in Rescue and Shingle Springs. More than 40 years of business and executive leadership experience, including Hewlett-Packard, Oracle and several startups. Computer Science degree, Illinois Institute of Technology; MBA, Santa Clara University. Served two terms on the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury (2021–2023), including one term as foreperson pro tem. Alternate public member commissioner, El Dorado LAFCO. Board member, Shingle Springs Community Center. Director, Taxpayers' Association of El Dorado County. Greater Cameron Park Fire Safe Council. Founded the Sierrama Firewise Community in 2022 and chairs it. Also active with the county's Community Economic Development Advisory Committee, the Divide Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club of Cameron Park and Women's Fund El Dorado. Ballot designation: “Community Advocate.” No prior elected office.

Key Priorities
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
Public safety: fully fund the Sheriff's Office and first responders, and ensure rural EMS and fire services have resources to respond. Taxpayer advocacy: oppose tax increases, defend Proposition 13, address Proposition 19 impacts on families and ranchers, and help residents with assessment disputes. Rural character: protect farmland, open space and small-town values from overdevelopment. Business climate: reduce regulation and remove government barriers to small business. Frames the race around experienced leadership and a record in elected office.	Uphold the voter-approved General Plan and keep community input at the center of land-use decisions. Wildfire prevention and insurance reform, including advocating at the state level for wildfire coverage as an optional add-on. Revitalize agriculture by expanding lodging and tourism options under the Ranch Marketing Ordinance. Permit reform: establish clear customer-service standards in the Planning and Building Department. Fair and competitive compensation for rank-and-file county workers; avoid surprise layoffs. Transparent budgeting and smarter revenue strategies in the face of county budget shortfalls. A long-term, comprehensive plan to address homelessness.

Key Endorsements
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association PAC. El Dorado County Republican Party, and party chairman Todd White. Sheriff Jeff Leikauf; former Sheriffs John D'Agostini and Hal Barker. District Attorney Vern Pierson. Supervisors Brian Veerkamp, George Turnboo and Greg Ferrero. County Surveyor Brian Frazier. Gun Owners of California; California Rifle and Pistol Association.	El Dorado County Chamber PAC. Ron Briggs, former El Dorado County supervisor. Labor leaders listed individually rather than as organizational endorsements: Jen Rimoldi, president, EDCEA Local 1; Tina Acree, AFSCME Council 57. Sid Basset, elected official. An extensive list of District 4 residents, business owners and community members; the campaign emphasizes resident and volunteer support over institutional political backing.

Strategic Advantages
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
Deepest elected-office record in the race, spanning county, legislative and statewide tax-policy roles. Highest name recognition and an established donor and political network. Consolidated institutional backing: county Republican Party, three sheriffs, the district attorney and three sitting supervisors. Led the primary by roughly 21 points and finished within a few points of winning outright.	More than 20 years living in District 4, with a record built on local boards, county oversight and volunteer service. Direct wildfire-prevention involvement through Firewise and Fire Safe Council work gives her a concrete local record on the issue voters raise most often. Business-management background provides a non-career-government contrast. Cross-cutting endorsement base — a Chamber PAC alongside labor leaders — supports a broad, non-factional appeal. Participated in candidate forums her opponent skipped, supporting an accessibility and engagement argument.

Strategic Vulnerabilities
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
A long political résumé invites a “career politician” contrast in a race where local roots were a central theme for every candidate. Has lived in El Dorado County roughly a decade, well short of Posey's 20-plus years in District 4; his elective career was based in Placer County and Sacramento. Voted against SB 901 (2018), the wildfire package that included forest-health and fuel-reduction funding. He argued the bill was not aggressive enough and objected to shifting utility wildfire costs onto ratepayers; opponents can cite the vote, and he can cite his stated reason. Land-use record as a Placer County supervisor, where he supported several large development projects, may be tested against his rural-preservation platform. Declining the League of Women Voters forum supplies an accessibility argument for opponents. Left the Assembly mid-term in 2011 and the Senate mid-term in 2019 to take other offices, each triggering a special election. Fell short of 50%+1 despite leading a four-candidate field.	No prior elected office and lower name recognition than Gaines. Must roughly double her primary share: consolidating most Clark and Deitz voters while also drawing some Gaines support. Smaller fundraising base makes districtwide communication harder against an established political operation. Labor-leader endorsements can be used to frame her as union-aligned in a county that leans conservative.

Campaign & Major Donors
Ted GainesChair, CA Board of Equalization · Former Legislator	Gina PoseyDistrict 4 Community Leader · Business Executive
Committee: Gaines for Supervisor 2026, FPPC ID 1478940. Pre-primary filings show an established donor network including political committees and business and industry sources, a substantial share from outside the county. Benefits from statewide political contacts developed over two decades in elected office. Figures reflect pre-primary reporting; confirm against the most recent Form 460 before distribution.	Committee: Committee to Elect Gina Posey Supervisor – 2026, FPPC ID 1480869. Pre-primary filings show individual contributions alongside labor support. Campaign positions itself as grassroots and locally focused, relying on community outreach and volunteer activity. Figures reflect pre-primary reporting; confirm against the most recent Form 460 before distribution.

Rows labeled "Strategic Advantages" and "Strategic Vulnerabilities" are campaign analysis, not statements of fact. Background, Priorities and Endorsements are drawn from official filings, county election records and the candidates' own published materials. Verify endorsements and campaign finance figures against current filings before public distribution. This document does not constitute an official endorsement.

Presented by Indivisible El Dorado. For informational purposes only. Data as of August 2026. Not an official endorsement.