BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
Monday (June 16) marks the opening of the candidate filng period for the Nov. 6 election. Below is a breakdown of who is, isn’t and may be running for local councils this election season. The candidate filing period ends on Aug. 10.
Palo Alto
In Palo Alto, incumbents Eric Filseth, Cory Wolbach, Tom DuBois and newcomer Alison Cormack, the former president of the Palo Alto Library Foundation, are all running. Council members Greg Scharff and Karen Holman are termed out. But since council is going from nine to seven seats, there are only three seats up for grabs despite five council members’ terms ending.
Menlo Park
Three seats will be up for election in Menlo Park, but they will not be open to everyone in the city, since the council has switched to district elections.
Districts 1, 2, and 4 are up for grabs this year.
Councilwoman Kirsten Keith, who lives in the Willows in District 2, is running for re-election. No one has filed against her yet, but Planning Commissioner Drew Combs is considering throwing his hat into the ring. He nearly won in 2014.
Mayor Peter Ohtaki, who lives in District 4, which covers Allied Arts and portions of West Menlo and downtown, will be seeking re-election. Councilman Rich Cline, who also lives in District 4, has said he won’t seek a fourth term.
Sister City commissioner George Yang and Belle Haven advocate Cecilia Taylor have both announced they are running for the Belle Haven seat.
Mountain View
In Mountain View, incumbents Lenny Siegel and Pat Showalter are running for re-election while Ken Rosenberg is not. So far, planning commissioners Lucas Ramirez and Ellen Kamei have said they are running. Former Mayor John Inks and slow-growth advocate Alison Hicks are also running.
Redwood City
Redwood City has a wealth of council candidates, with seven announcing they are running for three seats. Incumbents Diane Howard and Jeff Gee have said they are running, while Councilman John Seybert, whose term is also up this year, is not. Planning Commissioners Giselle Hale and Ernie Schmidt will run, as will former planning commissioner Rick Hunter, lifelong Redwood City resident Christina Umhofer and renters advocate Diana Reddy.
Belmont
Belmont will have three seats up in this election — Councilwoman Julia Mates will be running, as will incumbent Charles Stone. Warren Lieberman, whose seat is up this year, has said he will likely run.
San Carlos
All three incumbents on San Carlos council — Matt Grocott, Bob Grassilli and Cameron Johnson — are not running. So far three residents have announced they will be running — former San Carlos School District trustee Adam Rak, Economic Advisory Commissioner Sara McDowell and Single Family House Advisory committee member Laura Parmer-Lohan.
Los Altos
In Los Altos, two seats are up for grabs. Mayor Jean Mordo and schools advocate Nancy Bremeau will be running, while Councilwoman Mary Prochnow has not said whether she will.
East Palo Alto
Two seats on the five-member council are up for grabs in November, those belonging to Mayor Ruben Abrica and Donna Rutherford. No word yet on whether either will seek re-election.
Atherton
Two seats are also up for grabs on this five-member council in November. They currently belong to council members Rick DeGolia and Bill Widmer.
We need somebody to run in Menlo District 2. Keith is too political and traffic has gotten worse on her watch. Two terms is enough.