Randall Putz
Candidate for Assembly District 34
Randall "Randy" Putz is running as the Democrat for Assembly District 34. The general election is on November 3, 2026. He faces Republican Charles Hughes. This is an open-seat race; incumbent Tom Lackey is not running again. Putz has served on the Big Bear Lake City Council since 2014. He was re-elected in 2018 and again in 2022. He has served terms as Mayor Pro Tem and as Mayor, in 2020 and 2023. He previously served on the Bear Valley Unified School District Governing Board, first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012. Besides his council role, he has chaired two local boards, the Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority and the Big Bear Fire Authority. He also served as a director of the Mojave Desert Mountain Integrated Waste Joint Powers Authority. He also spoke for District 11 cities on a regional group, the Southern California Association of Governments. Putz has worked for over 25 years as a marketing and technology consultant. He also started the Chirp Nature Center in Big Bear Lake, which opened in 2018. He also co-founded the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation. He and his family have lived in Big Bear Lake, where he raised his children. His campaign uses the slogan "Rural Voices. Real Solutions." It centers on healthcare access and housing. It also covers public safety, schools, rural roads, and environmental justice. These issues affect the district's High Desert and mountain communities. Home: Big Bear Lake, California. Occupation: He works in marketing and technology, as a consultant. He also founded the Chirp Nature Center. Prior office / incumbency: None in the Assembly. He currently serves on the Big Bear Lake City Council, since 2014, and was Mayor in 2020 and 2023. He previously served on the Bear Valley Unified School District Governing Board, first elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Putz supports expanding workforce development and job training tied to the district's existing industries (aerospace, solar, logistics) rather than specific minimum-wage or labor-union policy.
Source → - Taxes & Cost of Living
Putz says High Desert families face disproportionately high gas and sales tax burdens for inadequate services, and calls for corporations to "pay their fair share" while seeking commuter tax credits or rebates.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Putz supports streamlining approval of affordable-housing projects, converting vacant motels/office buildings into housing, and strengthening protections for both renters and small landlords, while tying housing growth to infrastructure capacity.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Putz supports targeted policing of violent crime and drug trafficking paired with police accountability and community trust-building, plus increased investment in fire and emergency medical services in rural areas; his platform does not address gun policy specifically.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Putz supports expanding rural healthcare access via new local clinics, provider recruitment incentives, and telehealth paired with broadband expansion, citing gaps in primary care and Medi-Cal provider availability.
Source → - Education & Schools
Putz supports smaller class sizes, more counselors, expanded career/technical and dual-enrollment programs, stronger early-childhood education, and directing more funding to classrooms rather than administration.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Putz frames environmental policy as environmental justice, pledging to crack down on illegal dumping and industrial pollution and to ensure renewable energy (solar/wind) projects deliver local jobs and community benefits.
Source → - Water & Natural Resources
Putz identifies water scarcity as a priority issue for desert communities and calls for state assistance with water infrastructure as part of his rural development platform.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Putz supports greater local input into state policymaking -- via district advisory councils, regular town halls, and requirements that state agencies consult local leaders -- framing it as collaborative rather than obstructive governance; he does not address voting access, redistricting, or campaign finance specifically.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.