Four years ago for the first time in Yorba Linda's history, candidates for City Council didn't appear on the November ballot because nobody filed to run against the three incumbents – Tara Campbell, Beth Haney and Gene Hernandez, so they were appointed to new four-year terms.
This year, Haney is not seeking a third term because of an impending move to Idaho and Hernandez resigned his position in January for an appointment as a director of the Yorba Linda Water District.
Former two-term councilmember Peggy Huang was appointed to replace him on the council, with Huang and Campbell now in the race for third terms, the most allowed by the city's voter-approved ordinance that limits councll service to three terms of two years or longer.
Joining a five-person contest for the three positions are three currently serving council-appointed commissioners: Jess Battaglia from the Parks and Recreation Commission, Anthony Johnson from the Traffic Commission and Shivinder Singh from the Planning Commission.
A council candidates forum is scheduled for tonight, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The event will be broadcast live on Spectrum channel 3, with repeat dates to be announced.
The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District and its several predecessor districts since 1874 have had more than a dozen canceled contests because only the incumbents filed for the ballot, the most recent in 2018.
A section of the state's elections code allows local jurisdictions to cancel an election when the number of candidates doesn't exceed the number of open positions. Deadline to file a petition to reinstate a canceled election was Aug. 14.
But this year, seven candidates are seeking three positions. Marine Corps reservist Misty Janssen is challenging incumbent Leandra Blades in eastern Area 3, and engineer Maria Stubbs is challenging incumbent Marilyn Anderson in southwest Area 2.
Northwest Area 1 incumbent Shawn Youngblood isn't seeking re-election because of a planned move to Texas. Candidates for the position are parent Nicolas Cardenas, business owner Ryan Miller and five-time PTA president Tricia Quintero.
Only Miller and Quintero paid the $655 fee to have a 200-word statement printed in a voter guide mailed to registered voters. Area 2 candidates paid $593 for a statement, and Area 3 candidates paid $665 for a statement. Fees are based on printing costs for the areas.
Not needing statements this year are Yorba Linda Water District directors Trudi DesRoches and Gene Hernandez, who were appointed in 2020 and 2024, respectively. This is the 10th time since the district became a public agency in 1959 that incumbents weren't challenged. .
In the North Orange County Community College District, Yorba Linda Library Commissioner Ryan Bent is seeking a third term in Area 7, which covers most of Yorba Linda. His opponent is Kyle Miller, a former mayor of La Habra Heights. They paid $1,101 for statements.