El Cerrito Resident Applies For Clerk And Recorder Job

EL CERRITO, CA — Nearly two dozen people have applied to become Contra Costa County's next head elections official, the Clerk and Recorder, including one from El Cerrito. Among the applicants are a former Assemblywoman, a Contra Costa County supervisor, several current and former city council members and several attorneys.

There are three years remaining in the current term after Clerk and Recorder Joe Canciamilla abruptly resigned in late October, one year into his second elected four-year term. About a week later, Canciamilla reached a settlement with the Fair Political Practices Commission on 30 counts of campaign finance violations including using $130,529 in campaign funds for personal expenses and for filing falsified records to cover it up.

Applicants to fill the post include acting Clerk and Recorder Deborah Cooper; former 16th District Assemblywoman Catharine Baker; Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff; Concord Councilwoman Laura Hoffmeister; Martinez City Council members Mark Ross and Debra McKillop; Walnut Creek Councilman Justin Wedel; former Antioch City Councilman and current City Clerk Arne Simonson; Martinez City Clerk Richard Hernandez; attorney and Martinez school board trustee Deidre Siguenza; Karen Basting, BART's director of customer services; Scott Konopasek, county assistant registrar of voters; Paul Burgarino, the registrar of voters' community engagement specialist; Kristin Connelly, president and CEO of the East Bay Leadership Council; Martin Dunlap, a captain with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District; attorney Courtney O'Brien; attorney Scott Rafferty; Tina Norton, an insurance verification specialist; Herman Farmer, a CPA and finance director and risk manager; political campaign consultant Mark Friedman; Hakam Ibrahim, an administrative hearing examiner; and Elliot Meltzer, a former grocery store clerk and now a driver for Lyft and Uber.

All are Contra Costa County residents.

The El Cerrito applicant is Mark Friedman.

On Jan. 14, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review the applications and select applicants for interview.Those initial interviews, and selection of finalists, are scheduled to take place at the supervisors' Jan. 21 meeting. Following background checks and review of economic disclosure statements, the supervisors could make an appointment as soon as Feb. 4.

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story