With ballots from the primary freshly counted and certified, incumbents, candidates and hopefuls for local offices in the Nov. 3 general election are already gearing up for the next campaign season.
The nomination period for those interested in becoming official candidates began July 13 and will continue through Aug. 7. Prospective candidates for local offices can contact or stop by the San Benito County Office of Elections to pull paperwork and obtain a candidate handbook.
While some county offices were settled in the June 2 primary, the Nov. 3 ballot features a number of city offices as well as the election for the remainder of District 5 Supervisor Ignacio Velazquez’s term.
Velazquez was removed from office by a voter-initiated recall on the June 2 ballot, less than two years after he was elected to a four-year term.
As of July 15, two residents of District 5 have pulled nomination papers, but have not yet qualified for the ballot. Those potential candidates are John A. Williams and Rodney Todd Bianchi, according to the San Benito County Registrar of Voters’ website.
In the City of Hollister, the offices of mayor as well as City Council Districts 2 and 3 will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Incumbent Mayor Roxanne Stephens and incumbent District 3 Councilmember Dolores Morales have not yet pulled nomination papers.
City Council District 2 Councilmember Rolan Resendiz announced earlier this summer that he will not run for reelection.
Also on the Nov. 3 ballot are the San Benito County Board of Education Districts 3 and 4 seats; Gavilan Joint Community College District Trustee Areas 5 and 7; seats on multiple high school and elementary school districts throughout the county; and numerous seats on area water districts, the San Benito Health Care District and the Aromas Tri-County Fire Protection District.
The candidate handbook available from the registrar’s office “summarizes major provisions of the California Elections Code and other laws related to candidates and committees involved in the elections process,” says an introductory note from Registrar Francisco Diaz.
“Running for office is one of the most civic-minded things you can do. The upcoming 2026 election will be significant. The more citizens that become involved in representing and defending our residents’ needs, the better for our communities, our county,and our democracy!” Diaz added.
Regionally and statewide, the general election will also determine California’s next governor, lieutenant governor and other offices, as well as U.S. representatives.
The nomination and qualifying period ends at 5pm Aug. 7, except for offices where no incumbent files to run for reelection. For those offices, the filing period will be extended to 5pm Aug. 12.
More information
To view the San Benito County Candidate Handbook for the Nov. 3 statewide general election, visit the Registrar of Voters’ website at sanbenitocounty-ca-cre.gov/elections. The handbook can also be found in person at the registrar’s office, located at 1601 Lana Way, Hollister.
