Ariel Kelly, candidate for 2nd Assembly District, visits Ukiah

With the campaign season in full swing, candidates for the second district assembly seat are traveling the vast district to meet voters. Incumbent Jim Wood announced early last month that he will not be seeking reelection.

Ariel Kelley, mayor of Healdsburg and co-founder of a non-profit serving low-income families, met voters Wednesday night at the Grace Hudson museum in Ukiah. A former Sonoma County Planning Commissioner, she says land use policy is her love language.

She stated that she has signed the CalCare pledge and does support single payer healthcare. While she has not signed the pledge put forth by the California Nurses Association, she said in a brief follow-up that she has declared her support for single payer healthcare in a partnership with another organization. She told Wednesday’s guests that she does not think the state is currently high functioning enough to pull off an effective single payer healthcare system.

She points to Healdsburg’s independence from PG&E, with the country’s largest floating photovoltaic solar array. She took a few questions after the event.