Vietnamese - American woman re-elected as US mayor

Ms. Helen Tran (44 years old) set an impressive milestone in her political career by winning 12,165 votes, equivalent to 54.49% of the total votes from the primary election for the position of San Bernardino Mayor. This is the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, USA. With this result, the Vietnamese - American female politician completely outpaced the remaining 5 opponents in the fierce race. The runner-up, Mr. Rick Avila, only garnered a mere 2,308 votes, equivalent to a 10.34% rate, according to official vote count data released by the county government.

This victory allows Ms. Helen Tran to bypass the general election this coming November. According to San Bernardino's election laws, any candidate who secures over 50% of the votes right in the primary round will be declared the final winner. Conversely, if no candidate reaches this threshold, the top two vote-getters must continue to compete in a runoff election at the end of the year. The absolute trust of the voters has helped Ms. Helen Tran extend her term and continue to steer the city government for another 4 years.

Sharing her feelings after receiving the good news, Ms. Helen Tran emotionally expressed that being re-elected is not only a great honor but also comes with heavy responsibilities. She sent her deepest gratitude to the families who trusted her with their futures, parks, and every single street, while affirming that she does not take any vote lightly and will not waste the opportunity to serve the people.

Previously, in November 2022, she made history by becoming the first Vietnamese - American female mayor in the US after winning up to 62% of voters' trust in her first run.

Ms. Helen Tran's bond with San Bernardino was established long ago, as this is where she was born and raised. She began her dedication to the local government in 2006 as an assistant to the city's human resources director. 10 years later, she continued to make history by becoming the youngest human resources director in the history of San Bernardino. She was directly responsible for recruitment, benefits, labor relations, as well as managing the team of public servants within the government apparatus.

Regarding the organizational structure, San Bernardino currently operates under a council-manager government model. In this structure, the City Manager holds primary responsibility for running the daily operations of the government.

Meanwhile, in her role as Mayor, Ms. Helen Tran is the official representative for the entire city, holding the critical responsibility of presiding over and participating in extensive discussions at City Council meetings. Although she does not vote under normal circumstances, the Mayor holds special power as the one to cast the deciding vote to break deadlocks in the council. She will have a significant voice when considering appointments for several key positions, while also possessing veto power over certain specific council decisions.

Her campaign slogan is "Let's TRANsform San Bernardino." The focus of her activities centers around infrastructure development, enhancing community safety, building supportive housing for veterans, and strengthening local resident connections.