Napa Voters Face Choices in November

With candidates already on the stump in the contested races for mayor, city council and District 2 county supervisor, we can expect to see a lot more yard signs popping up around the city of Napa between now and November.

Here is a quick summary as of mid-July:

City of Napa

• Council Positions up for Election - 3
• Term Length - 4 years

Current Members (elected at large) with terms expiring:

• Mayor Jill Techel
• Council Member Jim Krider
• Council Member Mark van Gorder (not running for reelection)

Current challengers:

• For mayor: Council Member Peter Mott
• For council: William Bopf, Alex Pader, Alfredo Pedroza, Doris Gentry, Charlie Rose, Scott Sedgley

Napa County Board of Supervisors

• Up for election - 1 
• Term length - 4 years

Current Member (elected by district) with term expiring:

• Mark Luce, District 2

Challenger:

• Mark van Gorder

Napa Valley Unified School District Board

• Positions up for Election - 4
• Term Length - 4 years

Members (elected at large) with terms expiring:

• Alan Murray, Area 2
• Joe Schunk, Area 4 (American Canyon area)
• Frances Ortiz-Chavez, Area 5
• José Hurtado, Area 7    

Napa Valley College Board

• Positions up for election - 3
• Term length - 4 years

Current Members (elected by district) with terms expiring:

• JoAnn Busenbark, Area 6
• Thomas Andrews, Area 7
• Area 1 seat held by Steve Reinbolt until he resigned earlier this year

Are you interested in running? If you have been having issues with the decision-making process in the city of Napa, the school board or the college board and you think you would be better at representing the local community, you could officially take out papers for public office for the upcoming general elections.

The official nomination period ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 10, 2012. 

If nomination papers for an incumbent are not filed by the last date of the filing period, the deadline for nominations for that incumbent’s office is extended to 5 p.m. on August 15, 2012. 

Once filed, a candidate may withdraw his or her nomination paper until the filing deadline of 5 p.m. on August 13, 2012 (or 5 p.m. on August 16, 2012 if the deadline is extended.)       

More information is available from the Napa County Registrar of Voters at 900 Coombs Street, Room 256; (707) 253-4321.

The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

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