A
four-week filing period begins July 18 for candidates seeking 11
positions representing Yorba Linda on five governmental bodies
scheduled for the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Contentious
elections are expected for at least three of the public agencies,
based on current political activity and recent social media postings.
Spirited battles are anticipated in three City Council contests and
for two director slots at the Yorba Linda Water District.
And
it's possible a recall targeting water board directors Bob Kiley and
Gary Melton could be added to the November ballot. Also, feisty
disputes with council and water board incumbents might spill over
into the usually staid school district election for Placentia-Yorba
Linda trustees.
Here's
a breakdown of the upcoming electoral engagements:
--Two
City Council incumbents began raising funds for re-election runs
several months ago, joined by Parks and Recreation Commission
chair Tara Campbell for a slate, with three opponents expected to be
endorsed by the one-year-old Yorba Linda Taxpayers Association.
In
the race for second terms are Gene Hernandez and Craig Young, who
were elected to the county Republican Central Committee last month.
Young topped a 15-candidate field for six positions with 10,248 GOP
votes, 4,474 from Yorba Linda. Mark Schwing is not expected to seek
a sixth term.
--Two
water board positions now held by 24-year director Mike Beverage and
12-year director Ric Collett will be on the ballot, with the
taxpayers group expected to endorse two challengers. The 2012 and
2014 elections didn't draw opponents, so all five incumbents
continued in office.
If
a recall qualifies and is consolidated with the Nov. 8 ballot, the
taxpayers group is expected to endorse replacement candidates.
Candidates favorable to the incumbents also might file for the recall
ballot, a tactic used by anti-recall forces in a failed attempt to
oust two councilmen in 2014.
--Three
Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustee positions now held by Judi
Carmona, Carol Downey and Eric Padget are scheduled for the ballot.
They were appointed to new terms
after
nobody ran against them four years ago.
The
usually low-key trustee contest heated up last month when two leaders
of the taxpayers association posted comments on the group's Facebook
page critical of Carmona, the current board president.
--Four
North Orange County Community College District trustee positions are
slated for the ballot, including two slots representing this city,
now held by 17-year trustee Tony Ontiveros of Anaheim Hills, who
represents most of the city, and appointed trustee Jacqueline Rodarte
of Anaheim, who represents a tiny southwest slice of the city.
--One
of four Orange County Water District positions up for election is
that of 12-year director Roger Yoh of Buena Park, who represents this
and four other cities on the board in charge of groundwater supplies.