In a closely watched race for a county seat in California, a candidate’s apparent attempt to mislead voters about her age has come to light. The revelation has sparked controversy in the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors race.

Shelina Moreda, who is campaigning on a platform emphasizing sustainable agriculture and the rights of farmworkers, was recently caught in a fib. Moreda, a professional motorcycle racer and first-time political candidate from a ranching family, initially hesitated to disclose her true age when questioned by the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Voter registration documents indicate that Moreda is 44 years old. However, when the Press-Democrat inquired about her age during a March 12 interview, she was evasive. Initially, she refused to answer directly, instead mentioning her birth year. Only after further questioning did she assert that she was 38 years old.

The newspaper later confronted Moreda about the inconsistency, prompting her to admit to the falsehood. She explained that her misleading statement was a “safety precaution,” a habit developed during her career as one of the few women in professional motorcycle racing.

Moreda claimed she had been advised by a lawyer to use a “privacy birthdate” to prevent potential stalkers from piecing together personal information. This explanation, however, has done little to quell the controversy surrounding her candidacy.

Her excuse? It’s a “safety precaution” against stalkers, stemming from her time as one of the few women in her motorcycling career. She claimed she got advice from a lawyer to give out a “privacy birthdate” to avoid the possibility someone could use names and ages to obtain personal details about her.

“That was my only safety net,” Moreda told the Press-Democrat.

She then lambasted the age question as “misogynistic” and having no relevance to running for office.

“To say that I’m not being transparent by trying to protect myself is not being sensitive to the things that women can go through in the public eye,” Moreda added.

Concerns about the age of elected officials are commonplace, including all the way up to presidential races, in terms of how physically and mentally fit one is in order to serve in office. The California Post reached out to Moreda’s campaign for further comment.

The lying may handicap Moreda’s chances of winning her race.

“Shelina is a hard no for me. She started off her campaign lying to the public. That’s an automatic no for me,” one user commented on social media.

“Hasn’t even started and yet already lying,” another user replied.

Moreda’s race now has four candidates competing for an open seat to replace County Supervisor David Rabbitt. The other competitors are Joanna Paun, 47, a school board member; John King, 69, a rancher and operating engineer; and Sylvia Lemus, 60, mayor of Cotati.

The primary election is June 2 while mail voting opens up May 4.