Who's Running In San Mateo

SAN MATEO, CA -- Seven candidates are vying for three open seats on the San Mateo City Council in Tuesday's election.

Two incumbents, Rick Bonilla and Joe Goethals, are running for the seats, as are school board president Chelsea Bonini, planning commissioners Eric Rodriguez and Charlie Drechsler, retired businessman Mark De Paula and businessman Robert Newsom Jr.

Bonilla, who is currently serving as deputy mayor on the City Council, first took office in 2015 and previously served on the city's planning commission and other city panels.

Goethals, who first took office in 2013 and served as mayor in 2016, works as a prosecutor in the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.

Bonini, president of the San Mateo-Foster City School District's board, has been endorsed by Rep. Jackie Speier, San Mateo Mayor David Lim and others.

Rodriguez, co-founder of the educational media business HowToMedia Inc., is touting endorsements from other local politicians including state Sen. Jerry Hill, San Mateo County supervisors Carole Groom and Don Horsely, fellow candidate Goethals and others.

Drechsler, who works as a city arborist and inspector, has the support of Service Employees International Union Local 521 and the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.

De Paula touts himself as the only candidate in the race who wants a moratorium on building in the city, while Newsom -- a second-cousin of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom -- calls for measured growth and improved public safety services.

San Mateo is one of four cities in San Mateo County with city council races in Tuesday's election.

Cliff Lentz and W. Clarke Conway are the two incumbents among six candidates competing for three open seats on the Brisbane City Council, with insurance broker Tony Verreos, planning commissioner Jameel Munir, business owner Karen Cunningham and educator Dana Dillworth also in the race.

In Burlingame, Mayor Ricardo Ortiz, Vice Mayor Michael Brownrigg and Councilwoman Ann Keighran are all seeking to keep their seats, with assistant retail manager Steve Duncan the lone challenger in the four-candidate race.

San Bruno has no incumbents running for the two open seats. Information technology manager Michael Salazar, nonprofit director Marco Durazo and vice chair of the city's parks and recreation commission Laura
Davis are the three candidates seeking the seats.

--Bay City News/Photo via Shutterstock