Escalon area residents can join the ranks of candidates looking to fill some local posts, even though they are technically in neighboring Stanislaus County.
Stanislaus County Clerk Recorder and Registrar of Voters Lee Lundrigan reported that candidates interested in running for local office during the Nov. 5, 2013 Consolidated District Election may apply during the filing period, which just opened on Monday, July 15 and runs through Friday, Aug. 9. Candidates, including incumbents, must file nomination documents during this period in order to file for office and appear on the ballot. Some of the elections can also include candidates from San Joaquin County.
“We encourage citizens to learn about this applicant process and consider becoming a candidate for office,” said Lundrigan.
The updated Clerk Recorder and Registrar of Voters website will post a daily revision of the list of candidates who file their nomination documents with the County Elections official during this period. This unofficial list can be viewed at stanvote.com under “candidates.”
Among the offices up for election that impact the local area are:
Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Area 2, three board seats, nominated by division and elected at-large, includes an area shared with San Joaquin County.
Valley Home Joint School District, two board seats, includes an area shared with San Joaquin County.
Oakdale Irrigation District, three director seats. Division 2 includes an area of San Joaquin County; Division 3; and Division 5.
Lundrigan encourages voters interested in becoming candidates to stop by the County Clerk-Recorder/Elections Office at 1021 “I” St., Room 101, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. in downtown Modesto, or to call the office at 209-525-5200, or 525-5230 for assistance in Spanish. More information is available on the Elections Office website at www.stanvote.com.
Qualifications include the information below pertaining to the above offices.
Gov Code 53227 (a) Applies to the following district offices. It states that an employee of a local agency may not be sworn into office as an elected or appointed member of the legislative body of that local agency unless he or she resigns as an employee. If the employee does not resign, the employment shall automatically terminate upon his or her being sworn into office.
School District Board Member: Any registered voter is eligible to be a member of the county board of education except the county superintendent of schools, any member of his/her staff or any employee of a school district. Ed Code 1006 (a).
Any person, regardless of sex, who is 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the state, a resident of the school district, a registered voter and who is not disqualified by the Constitution or laws of the state from holding a civil office, is eligible to be elected or appointed a member of a governing board of a school district without further qualifications. A candidate for governing board member shall be a registered voter of the district; in the case of trustee areas, shall be a resident of the trustee area that he/she represents. Ed Code 35107 (a).
An employee of a school district may not be sworn into office as an elected or appointed member of that school district’s governing board unless and until he/she resigns as an employee. If the employee does not resign, school district employment will automatically terminate upon being sworn into office. Ed Code 35107 (b) (1).
Irrigation District Director: Shall be a registered voter, a landowner of the district and a resident of the division. Water Code 21100. Water Code 21100 has exceptions to the landowner provision if certain criteria apply to the irrigation district. Review the applicable water code sections to see if this applies to the irrigation district office you are seeking.
