Filing Period Open for 2018 City Council Election

 The City’s 2018 General Municipal Election, consolidated with the Los Angeles County Statewide General Election, will be held on November 6, 2018. Registered voters in the City of Santa Clarita will have the opportunity to elect three City of Santa Clarita Councilmembers of the five-member City Council, for a term of four years each. These seats are presently occupied by incumbents Mayor Laurene Weste, Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean and Councilmember Bill Miranda.
The filing period for local residents interested in running in the 2018 Santa Clarita City Council election opened Monday, July 16, 2018, and will close Friday, August 10, 2018. In the event that any incumbent Councilmember does not file by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 10, the filing period for all non-incumbent candidates will be extended to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 15. Prospective City Council candidates must secure the signatures of 20 to 30 registered City voters prior to filing nomination paperwork. Each candidate is also required to file a Statement of Economic Interests, disclosing investments and interests in real property at the time that the nomination paper is returned for filing. There is no charge for filing nomination papers.
For a fee, candidates may also prepare a statement to be included in the sample ballot materials, which is mailed to voters. Statements may include the candidate’s name, occupation and brief description of no more than 200 words stating their education and qualifications. The estimated fees are $2,200 for printing the candidate statement in English only, and $4,400 for English and Spanish translation. The fees are due when nomination papers are filed.
Nomination papers and candidate handbooks will be available by appointment beginning July 16, 2018, in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, Suite 120, located at 23920 Valencia Blvd. Election office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except during holidays. Prospective candidates should call the City Clerk’s Office at 661-255-4391 to schedule appointments to obtain and return materials for candidacy.
Anyone wishing to lend their signature to a potential candidate’s nomination paperwork must be a registered voter residing in the City of Santa Clarita, at the time nomination papers are issued. Each eligible voter may nominate up to three prospective candidates.
The three top vote-getters are expected to be sworn into office on December 11, 2018, prior to the regularly-scheduled City Council meeting.
For more information on the 2018 Santa Clarita General Municipal Election, including results of past City Council elections, please visit votesantaclarita.com.