Carlos Marquez III

Carlos Marquez III is currently a full-time candidate for the California State Assembly. Prior to launching his campaign, Carlos served as the inaugural Executive Director of ACLU California Action where he advanced the statewide advocacy and policy objectives of California’s three ACLU affiliates in the State Capitol. 

Prior to joining ACLU California Action, Carlos represented public education and healthcare stakeholders as Founder and Principal of CM3 Advocacy LLC, a Sacramento-based government affairs consultancy. He served as Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Political Director for the California Charter Schools Association before that, where he negotiated a major overhaul to the Charter Schools Act and helped secure a $300 million block grant for low performing students. 

Carlos’ career in advocacy has spanned leadership across the LGBTQ equality movement, labor movement, and education equity movement. Other past roles include serving as Government Affairs Representative for SEIU Local 221; Deputy Political Director, Western Region for the LGBTQ Victory Fund & Institute; Executive Director of HONOR Fund, a sponsored initiative of the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF); and Public Policy Fellow at United Way Worldwide.

Carlos holds a B.A. in Political Science & Journalism from San Diego State University. He was named “40 under 40” by the Sacramento Business Journal in 2019.