Tal K. Valbuena, a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, is running for Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in the Draper Seat.

The election is Nov. 3.

The nonpartisan race appears on the 2026 general election ballot. Valbuena is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. The seat falls within the Superior Court system that handles cases across Los Angeles County, including Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Holmby Hills.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge (Draper Seat)
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Education: J.D., The George Washington University (2011); bachelor's degree, Indiana University (2005); high school diploma, Adamjee Government Science College (1999)

Valbuena immigrated to the United States from Pakistan at age 18, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Times described him as a gay Muslim and refugee who would be expected to be the first gay person of color elected to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Experience and public service

Valbuena has served as a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since 2016, according to BallotReady profile data. Before that, he worked as a deputy district attorney in the Orange County District Attorney's Office from 2015 to 2016.

He serves as a commissioner on the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission, according to the commission's official biography. The LA Times reported he was nominated to the commission by the district attorney and appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

Valbuena has also served as an adjunct professor at International American University since 2018, according to BallotReady.

On the issues

Mental health justice: Valbuena said he serves in mental health court, where he routinely seeks court intervention in conserving and rehabilitating the county's most violent mentally ill offenders. He described himself as passionate about victims and LGBTQ+ rights and called the work his calling, according to his candidate response on the LA County LGBTQ+ Commission website.

Endorsements

Valbuena has received endorsements from the following organizations, as claimed by the endorsers:

Candidate responses are sourced from the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission website. Profile data is drawn from BallotReady and the Los Angeles Times. No interview was conducted for this profile.