For those like Martin Feinberg, Culver City Realtor, who have been following the latest news on the special election, four candidates have qualified to appear on the ballot on April 13. They are Tepring Michelle Piquado, Sydney K. Kamlager, Grayson A. Pangilinan, and Glen Ratcliff.
The special election on April 13 is being held to fill the Assembly seat left vacant when Sebastian Ridley-Thomas resigned earlier this year due to health concerns. Ridley-Thomas had represented the 54th Assembly District in the California State Legislature. The 54th District includes the Culver City Real Estate area.
Piquado, an Educator/Scientist, Kamlager, an Occupation Trustee, and Pangilinan, a Green Energy Entrepreneur, are all Democrats. Ratcliff, a small business owner, is the lone Republican running in the race.
It appears, from paperwork filed with the state, that Democrat Steve Dunwoody will also be running as a write-in candidate.
To qualify to run in the special election candidates “must be a United States Citizen, a resident of California for three years, a resident of the legislative district for one year and a registered voter in that district by the time nomination papers are filed.” Prospective candidates must also pay a filing fee of $1072.42 by February 8. Write in candidates have until March 20 to file.
Per California Special Election rules, “If a candidate receives a majority of the votes in the primary election, he or she will be declared the winner. If no candidates receive a majority, the top two vote-getters will advance to a special general election on June 5, 2018.”
With three Democrats running and one Republican, it is likely that any runoff race held in June would be between two Democrats.
The Governor must call a special election, and elected officials only fill the remainder of the unexpired term. The regular election will still take place in November and any candidate wanting to serve a full term will have to run again.
Martin Feinberg, Realtor, notes that the normal term for elected Assemblymen begins on December 3.
