Friday, August 10 could be the last day to file nomination paperwork for local election races with a possible extension through August 15 if an eligible incumbent does not file to run in a specific race.
If all eligible incumbents in a specific race file by close of business on Friday, the nomination period for that race will close. As of Thursday, all eligible incumbents had requested applications for the City Council, Rent Control and School Board races. Only three of four had requested paperwork for the College Board.
As of the end of the day on Thursday, 18 candidates have pulled papers for one of the three seats available on City Council.
Sue Himmelrich (Incumbent), Ashley Powell, Kevin McKeown (Incumbent), Mike Farid, Mary L. Marlow, Greg Morena, Linda Armstrong, Scott Bellomo, Mary Sampson, Whitney Scott Bain, Armen Melkonians, Pam O’Connor (Incumbent), Abby Mahler, Kate Bransfield, Jon Mann, Everett Alexander, Nathaniel I. Jones Jr. and Geoffrey Neri received applications.
Himmelrich, McKeown and Morena have returned their paperwork and qualified for the ballot. O’Connor, Powell and Bain have submitted their applications.
Melkonians and Bransfield have said they will not file papers for this year’s race. Alexander notified the City Clerk’s office of his intention to withdraw from the Council race and pursue an appointment to a board or commission.
Eight individuals have pulled paperwork for the three seats available on the Rent Control Board including Elaine Golden-Gealer, Lori Brown, Naomi Sultan, Joseph Bonaventura, Steven Duron (Incumbent), Nicole Phillis (Incumbent), Jon Mann and Will McGrouther. Phillis and Brown have returned paperwork.
Five individuals have pulled paperwork for the four seats on School Board. Ann Thanawalla is the only challenger to incumbents Laurie Lieberman, Richard Tahvildaran-Jesswein, Craig Foster and Oscar de la Torre.
All have returned paperwork. Lieberman, Tahvildaran-Jesswein and Foster have qualified.
The Santa Monica College Board will have four open seats this year and six individuals have pulled papers including Nancy Greenstein (Incumbent), Barry A. Snell (Incumbent), Ashley Powell, Louise Jaffe (Incumbent), Sion Roy and Patrick Acosta II. Greenstein, Snell, Jaffe and Roy have returned their applications. Snell, Greenstein and Jaffe have qualified.
The City is in the midst of a lawsuit over its at-large election system. De la Torre’s wife, Maria Loya, and the Pico Neighborhood Association, are alleging at-large elections discriminate against Latino voters. They want a judge to force the city to implement district-based elections for the City Council. The lawsuit is expected to conclude in the coming weeks and the plaintiffs have said a ruling in their favor could lead to a delay of the 2018 election. However, City officials have said they have no plans to alter the election and the final decision resides with the judge.
