The last day for candidates to submit qualifying paperwork to run in local elections on the November ballot is Aug. 9.
As of Aug. 7, two of three Gilroy City Council incumbents—Zach Hilton and Fred Tovar—whose terms expire this year have declared their candidacy to run for reelection on Nov. 5.
Mayor Marie Blankley has also begun her reelection campaign. Gilroy resident Greg Bozzo has also announced to the public that he is running for mayor in the November general election.
According to an unofficial list of candidates posted by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, political newcomer Kelly Ramirez has filed paperwork to run for one of the three city council seats on the ballot. Ramirez is listed on the registrar’s list as a “commissioner/retired teacher.”
City Council member Rebeca Armendariz’s term also ends this year, but she has not announced whether she is running for reelection.
Three seats on the seven-member Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education are also on the Nov. 5 ballot. These include Trustee Area 2, where Mark Good is the incumbent; Trustee Area 5, with James E. Pace the sitting incumbent; and Trustee Area 6, where Melissa Nicholson Aguirre is the incumbent.
So far, according to the ROV’s unofficial list, only one candidate—Kenny Moreno—has filed paperwork to run for any of the GUSD seats as of Aug. 6. Moreno is listed as a “parent/business owner.”
The nomination period for candidates in the Nov. 5 election started July 15, and continues through Aug. 9. For races where no incumbent has filed paperwork to run for reelection, the nomination period can be extended to Aug. 14.
Anyone who is interested in running for Gilroy mayor, city council or city treasurer is encouraged to make an appointment with the city clerk’s office to pull nomination papers and then continue with the eligibility qualification process. Gilroy City Interim City Clerk Beth Minor’s office is located at 7351 Rosanna Street, and can be reached by phone at 408.846.0204.
Also on the Nov. 5 ballot are three seats on the Gavilan College Board of Trustees.
Those interested in running for GUSD Trustee Areas 2, 5 or 6; Gavilan trustee areas 2, 4 or 6; or county board of education trustee areas 1, 3, 4 or 5 should visit the Registrar of Voters’ office to pull papers and for other assistance. The Registrar of Voters’ Candidate Services Division is located at 1555 Berger Drive, Bldg. 2 in San Jose.
“Candidate filing can be overwhelming,” said Matt Moreles, Acting Registrar of Voters. “Our Candidate Services team provides the resources and guidance to ensure candidates file their paperwork properly and on schedule.”
Voters in Gilroy will also decide on a local measure asking to approve a quarter-cent sales tax for the city’s public safety on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Expected to draw a large turnout of voters in Santa Clara County and nationwide, the Nov. 5 general election ballot will be headlined by the offices of U.S. President, U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress, among dozens of state and regional offices.
