Mariluz Garcia

Mariluz Garcia is an American politician and educator serving as a member of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners in Nevada, representing the 3rd district. A member of the Democratic Party, she was elected in 2022 and has served as vice chair of the board since January 2026. Before taking office, she was the executive director of the Dean's Future Scholars program at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Early life and career Garcia was born and raised in Elko, Nevada, and moved to Washoe County in 1998. She holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Political career

2022 election Garcia led a three-candidate Democratic primary for the 3rd district of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners in June 2022, ahead of Kyle Isacksen and Hawah Ahmad. She was sworn in on January 9, 2023.

In May 2024, The Nevada Independent reported that Garcia had been followed home and surveilled at public meetings, and that strangers had approached her family. She moved that year. Garcia was one of two commissioners who voted to certify the results. After the Nevada Attorney General petitioned the Nevada Supreme Court on behalf of the Secretary of State, the board reversed itself on July 16 and certified the recounts 4–1.

2026 election Garcia announced a bid for re-election in August 2025. Garcia and Republican Troy Regas advanced directly to the November 3, 2026 general election.

Tenure Garcia represents the county on regional bodies including the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada and the Regional Fire Services Study Board. She voted in November 2024 for changes to the county development code permitting a wider range of "missing middle" housing types to help encourage development of more affordable housing opportunities.

In March 2026, Garcia moved to overturn the county planning commission's denial of the Sierra Reflections project, a 940-home subdivision on 760 acres in the Pleasant Valley area because of a proposed $1 million payment from the developers for a consolidated fire station in the neighborhood.