Larry Cohen, the appointed San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, is running for a full elected term in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The race is nonpartisan. Shirley Nakawatase is also running.

Asked why he is seeking the office, Cohen said in our candidate questionnaire: "I've spent the past year serving as your appointed Treasurer-Tax Collector and in that time, my office maintained the county's AAA credit rating for a 27th consecutive year, generated a record $591 million in extra investment income, and collected over $9 billion in property taxes at a 99% success rate … This office should be run by a financial professional, not a career politician — someone who treats every dollar in the portfolio as if it were their own."

Candidate information

Party: "Democrat."

Education: "I attended the International School of Manila while living overseas, then Southwestern College, before transferring to and graduating from UC San Diego with a BA in Political Science. I later earned my MBA from Strayer University in Virginia."

Family: "Married for 30 years to Laura and have three boys, 27, 25 and 21."

Family in government: "No one in my immediate family currently works in government except me. That said, public service runs in my family in a different form: my stepfather and step-brother each served more than 20 years in the U.S. Navy."

Experience and public service

Cohen said in our questionnaire: "I currently serve as San Diego County's Treasurer-Tax Collector, overseeing a 125-person department, an $18 billion investment portfolio, and the collection of more than $9 billion in property taxes annually. Before this appointment, I spent five years as Chief of Staff to Congressman Juan Vargas, running both his district and Capitol Hill offices. Earlier, I spent 23 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, including managing an international sales team of up to 60 people at MilliporeSigma, while also starting, building, and selling businesses of my own."

Asked about previous offices, Cohen said: "I currently hold the office of San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector, appointed by the Board of Supervisors in November 2025 after a competitive selection process … Prior public-sector appointments include Chief of Staff to Congressman Juan Vargas (2020–2025), member of the Palomar Airport Advisory Committee (appointed by Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer), and staff to then-Councilmember Juan Vargas at San Diego City Hall (1993–1996)."

On the issues

Asked about the critical differences between himself and his opponent, Cohen said: "My opponent runs an 18-person accounting firm and has never held elected or appointed office. I've spent the past year actually running this office, on top of 25 years managing large-scale public and private operations … Under my leadership, the county has maintained 27 consecutive years of AAA credit ratings and generated a record $591 million in additional investment income. This job calls for proven financial management experience, not on-the-job learning."

According to his campaign website, Cohen is focused on completing the rollout of an updated Internal Property Tax System to increase efficiency and transparency. The site also lists expanding online payment options, maintaining the county's 99% property tax collection rate, accelerating programs for property owners facing financial hardship and developing programs to protect seniors from financial scams.

Asked about the best advice he ever received, Cohen said: "Mistakes open the doors of discovery. There's nothing wrong with making a mistake — what matters is learning and growing from it when it happens … As Treasurer-Tax Collector, that same mindset drives continuous improvement rather than complacency, even with a strong track record."

More information about the San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector's office is available on its website.