All Three Council Challengers Fail To Qualify For Ballot, Election Still On – August 14, 2012
Valerie Rose-Campbell
Kevin L. Hoover
Eye Editor
ARCATA – Only three of six Arcata City Council aspirants will appear on the November ballot, and they already hold office.
Incumbent Councilmembers Shane Brinton, Michael Winkler and Susan Ornelas all qualified for candidacy by supplying nominating petitions bearing the signatures of at least 20 registered Arcata voters.
All three non-incumbents who had filed papers – Jolian Kangas, Valerie Rose-Campbell and Mark Sailors – did not meet the 20-signature threshold, and will not be on the ballot.
Just 11 of the 27 signatures Kangas supplied were valid. Rose-Campbell had 16 of 30 verified. Sailors scored 15 out of 26.
The three may still run as write-in candidates, but must meet the same requirements for ballots cast in their name to count. They may again take out papers on Sept. 10, then submit petitions and financial disclosures by Oct. 23.
Jolian Kangas
Deputy City Clerk Bridget Dory said petition signatures are typically disqualified for not being those of registered Arcata voters, use of false names or invalid addresses.
“Serious bummer,” said Rose-Campbell, whose campaign slogan was going to be, “Arcata should walk the walk.”
“This won’t be the end of me though,” she added. “I still think Arcata has lost its backbone and I still want to be involved in making Arcata a strong and positive presence in California again.”
Update: This afternoon, City Manager Randy Mendosa provided the following update to the City Council, City Attorney and news media:
Honorable Mayor and Council members (Bcc)
Bridget and Nancy researched and conveyed the following information FYI:
Mark Sailors
Of the six people who filed nomination papers for a seat on the Arcata City Council, only the three incumbents qualified as candidates. Pursuant to California Elections Code § 10229(b), Arcata must still hold an election because of the two measures that qualified for the ballot. Therefore, the names of the three incumbents will appear on the November 6, 2012, ballot as candidates for Arcata City Council.
Randy Mendosa, City Manager
City of Arcata California
