Andrae Gonzales

This page was last updated during the official's most recent election or appointment. Please contact us with any updates.

Andrae Gonzales

Nonpartisan

Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Tenure

2016 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

8

Prior offices

Bakersfield City School District Board of Education Trustee Area 4

---

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

East Bakersfield High School

Bachelor's

University of California, Berkeley, 2005

Personal

Birthplace

Bakersfield, Calif.

Religion

Roman Catholic

Profession

Nonprofit executive director

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Personal Facebook

Personal Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Andrae Gonzales is a member of the Bakersfield City Council in California, representing Ward 2. He assumed office on December 14, 2016. His current term ends in 2028.

Gonzales ran for re-election to the Bakersfield City Council to represent Ward 2 in California. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Gonzales completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andrae Gonzales was born in Bakersfield, California. He earned a high school diploma from East Bakersfield High School, and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005. His career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive director.

Elections

2024

See also: City elections in Bakersfield, California (2024)

General election

General election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Incumbent Andrae Gonzales defeated Michael Cardenas in the general election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andrae Gonzales (Nonpartisan)	59.3	6,363
		Michael Cardenas (Nonpartisan)	40.7	4,372

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,735
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Gonzales received the following endorsements.

• Business Venue Dash Inc.

2020

See also: City elections in Bakersfield, California (2020)

General election

General election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Incumbent Andrae Gonzales won election in the general election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andrae Gonzales (Nonpartisan)	100.0	11,281

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,281
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Municipal elections in Bakersfield, California (2016)

The mayor's chair and three seats on the Bakersfield City Council were up for general election in 2016. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 16, 2016. A primary was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election took place on November 8, 2016. Andrae Gonzales defeated incumbent Terry Maxwell and Kevin Blanton in the Bakersfield City Council, Ward 2 general election.

Bakersfield City Council, Ward 2, General Election, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Andrae Gonzales	55.94%	6,369
Terry Maxwell Incumbent	33.75%	3,843
Kevin Blanton	10.30%	1,173
Total Votes		11,385
Source: Kern County Elections, "Official Final Results," December 1, 2016

2014

See also: Bakersfield City School District elections (2014)

Two seats on the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Trustee Area 2 incumbent Pam Baugher and Trustee Area 4 incumbent Andrae Gonzales ran unopposed and won re-election by default.

Results

This election was canceled due to lack of opposition. Pam Baugher from Trustee Area 2 and Andrae Gonzales from Trustee Area 4 won re-election by default.

Funding

Gonzales reported $1,800 in contributions and $5,726.37 in expenditures to the Kern County Registrar of Voters. In addition to his reported $5,120.33 cash balance and a reported miscellaneous increase in cash of $0.62, that left him with $1,194.58 cash on hand as of September 30, 2014.

Endorsements

Gonzales did not receive any official endorsements for his campaign.

2010

Bakersfield City School District, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Andrae Gonzales	26.9%	12,591
	Nonpartisan	Pam Baugher	26.3%	12,296
	Nonpartisan	Karen Dewalt Incumbent	20.2%	9,430
	Nonpartisan	Jerry C. Tate Incumbent	17.6%	8,234
	Nonpartisan	Ronnie Cruz	9.1%	4,247
Total Votes				46,798
Source: Kern County Registrar of Voters, "Kern County Election Results: November 2, 2010 General Election," accessed September 15, 2014

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Andrae Gonzales completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gonzales' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Bakersfield, graduating from East Bakersfield High School in 2000. I had an opportunity to go off to study at UC Berkeley, but came right back home after graduating to work in the community. For nearly 20 years, I've worked in our urban core as a volunteer and an elected leader. In 2006, I formed a nonprofit called Faith in Action, to address neighborhood issues, including safety, the foreclosure crisis, and education. In 2010, I was elected to the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education and started a nonprofit to help provided enrichment and extended learning opportunities to children of East Bakersfield, called Children First. In 2016, I formed an alliance of nonprofit leaders to work to strengthen the nonprofit sector, called the Kern Alliance of Nonprofits. And in 2017, after becoming the councilman representing the urban core, I started the nonprofit the Hub of Bakersfield, in an effort to bring more community members into the work of urban revitalization.

As your Councilman, I've worked every single day fighting for Ward 2, the heart of Bakersfield, and the historic, cultural and economic center of our city. I have learned how to navigate City Hall, and stand ready to provide the experience and leadership we need.

We’ve accomplished a lot together: repaving almost all of Ward 2 streets and alleys; building sidewalks; creating our first low-barrier navigation center, and more. Let's keep moving forward!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Bakersfield is often cited as the 9th largest city. But I don't want us to just be a large city, I want us to be a great city. And great cities invest in their urban core and work intentionally on revitalizing historic neighborhoods. As we continue to expand outward, City Hall must continue to make investments in the center of our city. As we build new roads, we must repair and rebuild the existing roads. As we look to finance new parks, we must not neglect the aging infrastructure of our urban parks. And as we build new shopping centers and amenities, we must continue to incentivize and promote more economic development and opportunity in our core.
• Homelessness is the most pressing issue of our time as a city and we must continue to make it a priority at City Hall. I have led efforts at City Hall to address this issue in a multi-pronged, methodical way. I led the fight to build the City's first low-barrier navigation center, Brundage Lane Navigation Center, that now over 300 guests and permanently housed over 400 people. Second, I supported city contracts to expand homeless outreach with Flood, clean city teams, and rapid response teams with Code Enforcement. I led the effort to create the city's Affordable Housing Trust fund to build more housing. And I've advocated for the State to pass CARE Court and SB 43, both critical to responding to the mental health and substance use crisis.
• It is imperative to me that we create more opportunities for individuals experiencing poverty to find pathways to prosperity. That is why I have led the creation of the city's Prosperity Neighborhood Initiative, a longterm, collective-impact project focused on revitalizing the Nile-Monterey corridor in East Bakersfield and the MLK Neighborhood in Southeast Bakersfield. The project will focus on targeted investment in four tiers: City Infrastructure Investments,

  Invest in Private Property Improvements, Create Economic Opportunity, and

  Create Opportunity by Raising Quality of Life Indices. Related to this effort, the City has already won over $100 million in grants to revitalize Southeast Bakersfield, including reimagining MLK Park.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Neighborhood Safety; Homelessness and Housing; Community Development and Urban Core revitalization.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe the most important characteristics of an elected official are: integrity, humility, respect for community and its history. I believe public service is sacred work. We are entrusted with the People's resources, their fears, and their hopes. We must lead with respect for them, first and foremost. And we must lead with integrity, communicating clearly to the public even when times are tough and the news isn't great. We must also act with humility, and not fall for the seduction of celebrity and influence, and continuously remind ourselves, as Marcus Aurelius did, that we are human and only human.

The most important characteristics of an elected official are (1) vision, an an ability to see our community beyond what it is today for what it could be; (2) a strong work ethic, to work incessantly for the people; (3) a growth mindset, that is an core belief that we as leaders do not have all the answers and we must continue to ask questions, listen to others, and learn new knowledge.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of a councilman is to be a strong advocate for Ward Two on the Bakersfield City Council, recognizing that they are only one of seven council-members on the governing board. But they must also develop a sense of responsibility for the entire city, not merely focusing on their own wards and priorities, but also taking time to understand and take care of the issues, infrastructure, systems, and assets that are shared by the whole city.

What legacy would you like to leave?

When my dad died nine years ago after a three-year battle with Guillan-Barre Syndrome, over 700 people attended his funeral. Countless people came up to me to share stories of how he, as a counselor at Bakersfield College, impacted their lives in some way. That's the same legacy that I hope to leave, through acts of service and community work.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

In 1999, I remember vividly the school shooting at Columbine High School. A few months before, I had attended a program for high school students in Washington D.C. called Presidential Classroom. There, I met students from all over the country including students from Littleton, Colorado. I was so worried about my friend I had met, and finally got to chat with him via email and over the phone to confirm he was safe.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a dishwasher and delivery driver for Peking Palace on Auburn while in high school.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

24601

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Nunca es Suficiente

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

City Council-members do not have independent authority or administrative power to direct city services. Instead, the power comes from the full city council as a whole. The executive authority is given to the City Manager. While council-members certainly have input, their real power is at the city council dais through collective action.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it is critically important that our Ward Two council-member has the experience, relationships, and knowledge necessary to best advocate on behalf of our community.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce PAC; Bakersfield Professional Firefighters; Bakersfield Police Officers Association; and many other building trade unions.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and government accountability are paramount to a functioning democracy. Citizens need to know how their tax dollars are being spent and understand the process through which decisions are made. They must also be given a clear rationale explaining every expenditure.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

Andrae Gonzales did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2014

Gonzales highlighted the following priorities on his campaign website:

“	Priority 1: Focus on STEAM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) We must prepare our children for the future! Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are essential to giving students the skills necessary for tomorrow's jobs! Arts are essential, too! The transition from STEM to STEAM is an initiative championed by the Rhode Island School of Design that has been adopted by education leaders and advocates across the country. It aims to integrate art and design into STEM education. Andrae will work hard to promote STEAM programs in our schools. Priority 2: Strengthen the role of Parents in Schools Decades of research show that when parents are involved students have better school attendance, increased motivation, better self-esteem, and lower rates of suspension which translates into higher grades, higher test scores, and higher graduation rates. In addition, students show a decrease in use of drugs and alcohol and fewer instances of violent behavior. In 2011, Andrae introduced a Parent and Family Engagement Resolution and a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. This served as a catalyst for many worthwhile parent involvement projects in schools throughout the district. The work continues, however. Andrae believes that parent engagement must be embedded in the work of every school site and in every classroom. Priority 3: Collaborate with Community Stakeholders to build a cradle-to-career pipeline for every child Andrae knows that every single child deserves a first-class quality education when they enter our schools. But many of our students go home to neighborhoods that are torn apart by drugs, crime, and poverty. In order for our children to succeed, their families and neighborhoods must be healthy and safe. Andrae is committed to bringing together community stakeholders, identifying new resources, and seeking out new opportunities for many stakeholders to work together to create a safety net so tight no child can fall through the cracks.	”
—Andrae Gonzales' campaign website (2014)

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Website

Officeholder

Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Website

Personal

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	Bakersfield City Council Ward 2 2016-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Bakersfield City School District Board of Education Trustee Area 4 2010-2016	Succeeded by -