We Asked, You Answered: Are The Council Incumbents Guaranteed Their Seats?

On Monday, Diamond Bar Patch asked readers, “Are the Council incumbents guaranteed their seats?” 

Councilmembers Carol Herrera and Jack Tanaka are both up for re-election, with Dr. Shawn Dhand as the challenger.

SPG wrote, “Since the election is at large, I would say the incumbents have a high probability of retaining their seats. It would be easier, in my opinion, for Dhand to run in a district election where face to face voter, grassroots canvasing would make up some momentum against an entrenched incumbent.”

Joseph Kim added, “I do believe incumbents typically have a higher probability of being reelected. In local elections name recognition is a huge factor, and often times the deciding factor. However, if you look at what happened in the 2010 Elections, several incumbent US Congressmen/women lost their seats to relatively unknown challengers (Tea Party Movement). When a series of issues agitates the public, you can only expect a reaction that favors changing the status quo. What happened on the national stage in 2010 could translate to similar outcomes in local elections as well (in light of the growing frustrations with the current state of Diamond Bar). Best of luck to Dr. Dhand.”

The question is still open; sound off in the comments section.