Fiona Ma runs for California lieutenant governor Nov. 3

California Treasurer Fiona Ma is running for lieutenant governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The Democrat faces Republican Gloria Romero, according to the California Secretary of State’s voter guide.

Ma cites her accounting background and public finance experience as reasons for her candidacy on her campaign website. Burlingame and Hillsborough voters will help choose the statewide official, who serves as acting governor when the governor is outside California and sits on public university governing boards.

The Burlingame-Hillsborough Times candidate questionnaire was sent to Fiona Ma’s campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 26, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic.
Office sought: California lieutenant governor.
Current role: California treasurer, first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Rochester Institute of Technology; master’s degree in taxation, Golden Gate University; MBA, Pepperdine University.
Background: Ma says she is the oldest child of immigrant parents and that her family moved to San Francisco in 1985.

Her official biography confirms her degrees and says she has been a licensed certified public accountant in California since 1992.

Experience and public service

Ma served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2002 to 2006 and in the California Assembly from 2006 to 2012. Her Assembly leadership positions included majority whip and speaker pro tempore.

She served on the State Board of Equalization from 2015 to January 2019, according to her official biography. She became state treasurer in January 2019.

The biography identifies her as the first woman of color and the first female certified public accountant elected California treasurer. Her accounting career included work at Ernst & Young and running her own practice.

On the issues

The following positions come from Ma’s campaign website.

Economy: Ma cites her accounting experience and work overseeing public finances as qualifications for the office. She says she would seek investment and job growth.

“As your Lt. Governor, I’ll continue to fight to grow our economy, attract investment, and create high-quality jobs,” she writes.

Housing: Ma supports increasing housing construction and points to her experience as a real estate tax accountant.

Health care: Ma says she would advocate for broader access to health care. She cites her experience living with a preexisting condition and her mother’s experience with depression.

Higher education: Ma says she would work to reduce college costs. In her state voter guide statement, she also proposes expanding paid internships and pathways into careers.

Public safety: Ma says she would support firefighters and other first responders, noting that her husband is a firefighter.

She also cites her work addressing human trafficking, strengthening protections for domestic abuse survivors and restricting toxic chemicals in baby products.