Michael Braun seeks Walnut Valley Water District Division 2 seat

Michael Braun, a criminal justice professor at San Diego State University Imperial Valley, is running for the Walnut Valley Water District Board Division 2 seat.

The election is Nov. 3, 2026. The nonpartisan race is a two-candidate contest. Brian Worthington is also certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. Braun holds a Ph.D., according to his campaign website.

Candidate information

Name: Michael Braun
Office sought: Walnut Valley Water District Board, Division 2
Party: Nonpartisan
Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
Education: Ph.D., according to his campaign website
Profession: Criminal justice professor, San Diego State University Imperial Valley, according to the university's program page

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Braun's candidate questionnaire responses.

Water security: Braun said the district depends heavily on imported water and needs a real plan for drought and demand that looks 10 to 20 years into the future. He said planning should go beyond a single election cycle, arguing that the district needs a long-range strategy rather than short-term fixes.

Infrastructure: Braun said hundreds of miles of pipes, reservoirs and pumps require careful oversight of every capital dollar spent on them. He said the district should prioritize maintenance rather than deferring it, framing infrastructure upkeep as a matter of fiscal responsibility.

Transparency and oversight: Braun said that when rates rise, ratepayers deserve to know exactly where the money goes. He called for accountability "project by project, dollar by dollar," saying the public should be able to track how the district spends its funds.

Water rates: Braun said rates should reflect the demonstrated cost of reliable service. He said every rate increase should be clearly and publicly justified, tying affordability to open accounting of district expenses.