Understanding the Board of Supervisors
- May 11
- 6 min read
Most of us know who the President is, and we can probably name our local Mayor. But there is a group of five people who have a massive impact on our daily lives in Butte County, yet they rarely get the spotlight: The Board of Supervisors.
If you’ve ever felt like local government is a maze of jargon and red tape, you aren’t alone. That's why we wanted to put together a no-nonsense guide to what these people actually do and why they are on our ballot.
Quick Facts
Who: 5 elected officials, each representing a specific part of the county.
The Job: Managing the $700M+ budget and deciding how our land is used.
The Focus: Keeping the county’s infrastructure, safety, and health services in working order.
The Meetings: Usually held the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month in Oroville.
The Big Picture
Think of Butte County like a large community apartment building. We all live here, and we all contribute to its upkeep through our taxes. The Board of Supervisors is essentially the Maintenance and Planning crew we’ve hired to keep the whole place running.
They don't personally patch every pothole or respond to every emergency call, but they are the ones who manage the $700 million annual budget. Their job is to ensure that our shared resources are used effectively to maintain the county services and infrastructure we all rely on.
Public Safety Maintenance
The Butte County Board of Supervisors decides how much funding goes to the Sheriff’s Office, the county jail, and fire prevention efforts to keep our neighborhoods secure.
Infrastructure Care
The Board of Supervisors are the folks who prioritize which bridges need repair, how our rural roads are maintained, and how we handle things like flood control and snow removal in the foothills.
Community Health
The same group of 5 people oversees the maintenance of our county population, funding mental health clinics, addiction recovery programs, and services for veterans and seniors.
Planning for the Future
Beyond just fixing what’s broken today, the Board acts as the architects of our local future. They control land use, which means they basically decide the layout of the county, from roads to building codes.
When you see a new neighborhood being built or an open field being preserved for farming, that is the result of a Board decision. By voting for a Supervisor, you are choosing a "Lead Planner" whose vision for how our land is used most closely matches your own.
A Regional Safety Net
While City Councils focus on what happens inside city limits (like Chico or Oroville), the County is responsible for the foundation that supports everyone, especially in tough times. They manage the programs that help neighbors stay on their feet, such as foster care, child protective services, and food assistance. When these systems are well-maintained, the entire county is more stable and the local economy remains stronger.
Why Your Vote Matters Locally
In national elections, your vote is one of millions. But in a Butte County District race, the results are often decided by just a few hundred down to a few dozen people. One person, one vote, and local races let you wield that power loudly.
This means your individual vote has a massive impact on the outcome. You aren't just voting for a "politician"; you are hiring a manager to look after your roads, your safety, and your tax dollars.
How to Check Their Work
You don't need to be a policy expert to stay involved. The meetings are open to the public. Every meeting has an agenda posted online a few days in advance. It’s a transparent list of exactly what they plan to spend money on or what rules they want to change.
Public Feedback
You are always allowed to send an email to the board via clerkoftheboard@buttecounty.net or even speak at a meeting. Whether you think a project is a great investment or a waste of money, they are required to listen to your input before they vote.
Why the Lines Are Drawn This Way
Every 10 years, the county has to redraw its five districts based on the census results. This isn't just about moving lines on a map; it’s about making sure the work is divided fairly and logically. The goal is to make sure that no matter where you live, your neighborhood’s specific maintenance needs have a fair seat at the table when the $700 million budget is being handed out.
Equalizing the Workload
The most important rule is that each Supervisor should look after roughly the same number of people. If one district grows significantly—for example, if a lot of people move into a new part of Chico—the lines have to shift. This ensures that no single "Maintenance Manager" representative is overwhelmed and that every resident gets an equal share of the county’s attention and budget.
Grouping Similar "Maintenance Needs"
The county tries to keep neighborhoods with similar needs together. This is often called a "Community of Interest."
The Foothills: Areas recovering from major fires often have unique needs regarding forest management and rebuilding. Keeping them in one zone allows their Supervisor to become an expert on those specific issues.
Agriculture: Farming regions have specific needs for water drainage and road weight limits. Grouping them together ensures they have a clear voice when the budget is being decided.
Urban Hubs: Busy city areas deal with different issues, like public transit and high-density housing, compared to rural areas.
Using Natural Boundaries
To keep things simple, the lines usually follow things you can actually see—like Highway 99, a major creek, or a city limit. This makes it easier for you to know exactly who is responsible for the maintenance of your neighborhood.
Find Your Maintenance Zone
If you aren’t sure which district you live in, Butte County provides a search tool where you can enter your address to find your specific Supervisor and a map of your zone.
Meet the Candidates
On June 2, 2026, Butte County voters will head to the polls to select the people who manage our shared community resources. Think of this election as a job interview: we are hiring two people to join the five-member team that oversees our $700 million "maintenance budget," our local roads, and our public safety.
District 2: Two Different Philosophies
District 2 covers parts of Chico and Durham, including a mix of busy city streets and essential agricultural land. This race features an incumbent and a challenger with very different backgrounds and priorities.
Peter Durfee (Incumbent)
Peter Durfee currently serves as both a Chico Police Officer and a County Supervisor for District 2. (Note: California law on dual public roles is complex and fact-dependent. Whether any conflict of interest exists is something voters may want to weigh for themselves.) As a candidate, Durfee views the role on the Board of Supervisors through a “Public Safety and Security" lens. His stated priorities are:
Opposing needle exchange programs, which he says endanger public safety
Enforcing laws around homeless encampments in public spaces and parks
Supporting water storage projects, including Sites Reservoir, and opposing state limits on groundwater use
Reducing regulatory burdens on Butte County's agricultural industry
You can visit his website at durfeeforsupervisor.com.
Marianne Paiva (Challenger)
Marianne Paiva is a fourth-generation Chicoan and an educator with a PhD in Sociology. She views the role through a “Planning and Resilience" lens. Her stated priorities are:
Improving evacuation planning and emergency communication for wildfire events
Investing in flood control maintenance and aquifer recharge to ensure long-term water reliability
Directing new housing development away from high fire and flood risk areas
Protecting farmland and the Greenline from urban sprawl
Expanding behavioral and mental health services through state funding and local grants
You can visit her website at mariannepaiva.com.
District 3: Stability in Central and North Chico
District 3 covers the central and northern parts of Chico. As of the last filing deadline, the race is less crowded. (The map is an odd shape and doesn't easily fit as an image, so we've included the original PDF from the county site.)
Tami Ritter (Incumbent)
Tami Ritter is currently the sole candidate for District 3. During her time on the Board, Ritter has been a consistent advocate for Social Services. She focuses on the "human infrastructure" of the county—mental health services, homelessness outreach, and social safety nets. She has also worked for wildfire recovery and green waste disposal programs to reduce fire fuel loads in the Wildland Urban Interface.
You can visit her website at ritterforsupervisor.com.
How to Decide Who to Hire
When you read through their platforms, ask yourself which "maintenance" style your neighborhood needs most right now:
Do we need an "Enforcement” candidate who focuses on immediate safety and security issues?
Do we need a "Planning” minded candidate who focuses on where we build and how we protect our natural resources?
Do we need a "Services Manager" who focuses on the health and welfare of our most vulnerable neighbors?
The Bottom Line
The Board of Supervisors maintains the world right outside your front door. Taking a few minutes to learn who is running is the most direct way to have a say in how your community is cared for. You are the employer. These candidates are asking for the keys to the county’s maintenance truck. Your vote is the final word on who gets to drive.
