Cruz Mora (Live Oak City Council At-large, California, candidate 2024)
Cruz Mora ran for election to the Live Oak City Council At-large in California. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.[source]
Mora completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Cruz Mora provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 26, 2024:
- Birth date: June 8, 1999
- Birth place: Yuba City, California
- High school: Live Oak High School
- Bachelor's: California State University, Chico
- Gender: Male
- Religion: Catholic
- Profession: Analyst
- Prior offices held:
- Central Committee Member - Sutter County Democratic Central Committee (2024-Prsnt)
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook
- Campaign Instagram
Elections
General election
General election for Live Oak City Council At-large (2 seats)
Incumbent Lakhvir S. Ghag, incumbent Nancy Elizabeth Santana, Cruz Mora, Aaron Pamma, and Michelle Serpa ran in the general election for Live Oak City Council At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Lakhvir S. Ghag (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Nancy Elizabeth Santana (Nonpartisan) | ||
 | Cruz Mora (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Aaron Pamma (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Michelle Serpa (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Mora received the following endorsements.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cruz Mora completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Mora's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am endorsed by the NorCal Carpenters Union, the Sutter County Democratic Central Committee and the Feather River Democratic Club. As someone deeply invested in the well-being of Live Oak, I’m committed to improving our city’s infrastructure, ensuring clean water for every household, and expanding parks and recreational opportunities for families and young people.
I’m also passionate about creating an inclusive community where everyone feels represented. As the first openly LGBTQ+ candidate for City Council in Live Oak’s history, I know what it means to fight for equality, and I am dedicated to ensuring our city is a place where diversity is celebrated. My candidacy represents a new generation of leadership that is rooted in both community service and progressive values. I’m here to listen to the needs of our residents, advocate for meaningful changes, and build a stronger future for Live Oak.- I am committed to improving the quality of life for all residents in Live Oak by enhancing our parks, recreation facilities, and ensuring safe, clean drinking water. I will prioritize modernizing our public spaces, such as repairing and expanding the community pool and creating new parks like Garden Glen Park. I believe that accessible, well-maintained public areas foster a sense of community and well-being. Clean, affordable water is a basic human right, and I will work to ensure our infrastructure supports safe water access for all.
- Transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of my candidacy. I will advocate for greater public participation in city decision-making processes, ensuring that every resident has a voice in shaping the future of Live Oak. This means increasing access to city council meetings, improving communication between local government and residents, and holding our elected officials to the highest standards of integrity. My goal is to foster trust in government by making it more accessible and responsive to the needs of our community.
- As a young, openly LGBTQ+ candidate, I offer a fresh perspective on leadership that prioritizes inclusivity, diversity, and progress. I understand the challenges faced by underrepresented communities and will ensure that Live Oak becomes a place where every resident, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and supported. My candidacy is about bringing people together to create lasting, positive change. I will champion policies that ensure equal opportunities for all and reflect the diversity that makes Live Oak unique.
I’m committed to improving parks and recreational spaces, such as repairing our pool and creating parks like Garden Glen Park. I also believe in supporting small businesses and advocating for policies that create jobs. Lastly, public safety is paramount, and I will work to ensure our neighborhoods are safe and well-served by first responders.
What inspires me most about Milk is his unwavering commitment to inclusivity. He understood that representation matters, not just for LGBTQ+ individuals but for all underrepresented communities. He built coalitions, brought people together across differences, and made it clear that the fight for equality wasn’t just for one group—it was for everyone who had been marginalized.
As an openly LGBTQ+ candidate, I also understand the importance of inclusivity and representation in local government. The council must reflect the diversity of our city, ensuring that all voices are heard, especially those that have been historically underrepresented. Integrity, transparency, inclusivity, and empathy are the pillars of what makes a great elected official.
Integrity is also at the core of who I am. In every role I’ve held, from my first job at Taco Bell to my current position as a policy analyst, I’ve made it a point to approach challenges with honesty and transparency. If elected, I will carry that same sense of responsibility into my work on the City Council, ensuring that all decisions are made in the best interest of the community and not for political gain.
I also bring a strong work ethic and a detail-oriented approach to problem-solving. As a policy analyst, I’ve developed the skills to analyze complex issues, craft practical solutions, and collaborate with stakeholders to make informed decisions. This experience has prepared me to tackle the challenges Live Oak faces, from modernizing infrastructure to addressing public safety concerns.
City Council members are also tasked with setting the vision for the future of the city, whether it's improving infrastructure, supporting local businesses, or maintaining public safety. Their role in reviewing and approving the city budget is critical, ensuring that resources are allocated wisely to benefit the entire community. Additionally, council members must work closely with other city officials, departments, and neighboring municipalities to foster cooperation and create regional solutions to challenges like water conservation, economic development, and environmental sustainability.
In terms of tangible accomplishments, I want to be remembered for revitalizing our public spaces, ensuring clean and safe drinking water, and promoting economic opportunities for local businesses and residents. I envision a Live Oak that is thriving—a city where families have safe parks to enjoy, where small businesses are supported, and where our infrastructure can sustain future growth without compromising quality of life.
I also want my legacy to include a commitment to transparency and accountability in government. If elected, I will work to ensure that the people of Live Oak have full access to how their tax dollars are being spent and that they have a direct line to their city council members. I hope to set a new standard for local government by fostering open communication, building trust, and ensuring that all decisions are made in the best interest of the community.
This job wasn’t just about serving food; it was about interacting with people from all walks of life. I had the opportunity to connect with customers and provide them with a positive experience. It also gave me a front-row seat to understanding the needs of working families in our community. Balancing school with my job taught me how to manage competing priorities—something I continue to apply in my professional life today as a policy analyst and candidate for City Council.
While my time at Taco Bell might seem like a small part of my journey, it was incredibly formative. It instilled in me the values of hard work, accountability, and perseverance. I learned the importance of collaboration as part of a team and how every role in an organization contributes to its overall success. These are the same values I bring into my campaign, where I strive to ensure that every voice in Live Oak is heard, and every issue is addressed with dedication and care.
This struggle, however, has also been a source of strength. It pushed me to advocate for myself and for others in the LGBTQ+ community who may have felt similarly marginalized. I learned the importance of persistence, resilience, and standing up for what I believe in. This experience has shaped my political philosophy and my desire to create an inclusive, welcoming environment in Live Oak where everyone, regardless of their identity, feels seen and valued.
In my role as a City Council member, I would advocate for detailed, easy-to-access reports on city spending, ensuring that residents know where their tax dollars are going. I would also promote regular audits to ensure funds are being used efficiently and for the purposes intended. It's important to build a system of checks and balances where government operations are subject to review, and where any potential misuse of funds is quickly addressed.
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.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
