If all incumbent Gilroy City Council members choose to run for a four-year term, one will definitely not return to the council.
That’s because of the four seats available on the Nov. 6 ballot, three are open for four-year terms and is one for a two-year term.
Incumbents Marie Blankley and Peter Leroe-Muñoz have filed the necessary paperwork as candidates for four-year terms. Dion Bracco told the Dispatch he also plans to run for a four-year term.
Incumbent Dan Harney has not yet decided whether he will seek a two- or four-year seat. He has until the Aug. 10 filing deadline to notify City Clerk Shawna Freels of his choice.
With the deadline  approaching, seven candidates—including four incumbents—had filed as prospective candidates as of July 31, although not all had been certified as qualified by the city clerk.
Blankley and Tom Fischer were the two candidates certified by Freels; both are seeking four-year terms. Fisher is chairman of the Gilroy Planning Commission. Blankley was appointed to the City Council in January.
Incumbent Peter Leroe-Muñoz and challenger Reid Lerner have also filed for four-year terms, but have not yet been certified as qualified by the city clerk. Lerner was defeated in a bid for City Council in 2016. Leroe-Muñoz, who was defeated in the primary election for the 30th Assembly District in June, is seeking his third term on the council.
Bracco, who is mayor pro tempore, first ran for City Council in 2003 and lost, but won a seat in 2005 and was re-elected in 2010 and 2014. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2012.
Harney, was first appointed to the council in late 2015. He lost the seat in the 2016 election, but was appointed again to the council later that year, nominated by Bracco.
Tim Renggli is the only candidate who is currently seeking election to the two-year seat, but he has not yet been qualified.
The last day to file to run for elected office in Gilroy is Aug. 10. If an incumbent does not file by that date then the deadline is extended five days, but the incumbent cannot run. Candidate forms are available at the City Clerk’s office.
