Two familiar Woodland faces have now announced their candidacies to represent the 3rd District on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, replacing the outgoing Mary Vixie Sandy.

Former Woodland Mayor Xóchitl Rodriguez Murillo and current Woodland City Councilwoman Mayra Vega formally threw their hat into the race following Sandy’s announcement that she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2026.

On Sunday, Sandy sent out a newsletter stating that she would not run again for the position she has held since October 2023, after being appointed to fill the role by Gov. Gavin Newsom, following the death of her husband, former Supervisor Gary Sandy.

At the time of her appointment, Sandy became the first woman to serve on the board since 2010 and the first woman to represent the 3rd District, which generally encompasses Woodland and rural areas outside the community such as Bryte, Broderick, and the Wild Wings Community.

“Since then, I’ve made incredible connections in the community I’ve called home for 40+ years,” she wrote of her time on the five-member board.

Sandy reported that after she steps down, she will continue her work as executive director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, “where I believe I can make the most impact, especially given the challenges schools and universities are facing at the national level.”

Rodriguez Murillo is an Army veteran, along with her husband and life partner, Antonio. She grew up in Woodland with her six siblings. She attended Freeman Elementary and Lee Jr. High, and graduated from Woodland High in 2001 before attending UC Davis. She received her degree in International Relations (with a focus on Peace and Security) and Spanish, and then went on to earn her Master’s Degree from Sacramento State.

Her career trajectory in public service includes serving in the Governor’s administration as a veterans deputy secretary at the California Department of Veterans Affairs (2019-2025). In this role, Rodriguez advocated for veterans statewide, reached veterans and service providers in northern rural areas, connected veterans and their families to free legal services, and secured funding for suicide prevention efforts. She also served as the agency’s tribal advisor.

“I was honored to serve as mayor and council member of Woodland, where I championed initiatives contributing to our quality of life,” her campaign’s website states. “My priorities included infill housing fitting our community’s lifestyle, reducing homelessness, road repair and maintenance, youth and senior programs, and funding public safety and first responders.”

Rodriguez Murillo ran against Sandy in 2024, losing with 4,661 votes to Sandy’s 5,540.

Vega publicly announced her campaign in a newsletter on July 1, stating that she wants to represent the residents of the district.

“Yolo County’s farmland produces the best fruits and vegetables in the world. Yet our roads are crumbling, there is a lack of real career opportunities, and our issues related to homelessness remain unsolved,” Vega stated. “I am running for Supervisor because I want to help build a community where residents can thrive and live meaningful lives for generations to come.

“I am grateful for Supervisor Vixie Sandy’s leadership, and look forward to working with her and other local leaders to address some of our county’s most glaring issues. Yolo County has endless potential — together we can harness it to do good.”

Vega was first elected to the Woodland City Council in 2020 and reelected in 2024, running on a platform that included making housing more affordable, increasing access to behavioral health services to help homeless individuals off the streets, protecting farmland, and enhancing water sustainability.

Vega is a mother to two children — German and Teresa — and is married to her husband, Jose. She is a small business owner in addition to working in the healthcare field for over 20 years.