The start of the New Year also signaled the official kick-off for some local offices as well.
Starting Dec. 30, candidates were eligible to pull their official documentation to run for three open seats on the board of supervisors, one of two open seats for superior court judge and other national offices.
Locally, the three open seats on the county board are in District 1 held by Supervisor Margie Barrios, District 2 held by Supervisor Anthony Botelho and District 5 held by Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz.
All three of those incumbents have either filed paperwork or announced they are running for office, though De La Cruz was the only one to file any paperwork as of Monday. De La Cruz is seeking a third, four-year term; Botelho a third term; and Barrios a second term.
To this point, there had been no challengers who either filed documentation or made announcements indicating runs for office. In 2008, all three won in the June primary, avoiding November showdowns. Barrios defeated two opponents – Grant Brians and Bonnie Flores-Voropaeff. De La Cruz beat Marian Cruz. And Botelho defeated Anthony Freitas for the second consecutive time.
“I envisioned serving three terms or hoping to serve three terms,” Botelho said.
Barrios noted that she had planned to pick up her information packet from the elections office Monday, while she had been busy recently with the passing of her mother on New Year’s Eve. She said she is “absolutely” running for reelection.
“We have started so many things,” she said. “And unfortunately because of the economy, they have not been able to come to fruition.”
The window for those supervisorial and other congressional candidates to file in lieu of signatures is from Dec. 30 through Feb. 23. Filing periods for other offices, such as school board or water district seats, will begin in February.
Beside the local seats, though, two residents have indicated candidacy for larger offices. Republican Robert Bernosky, defeated by Luis Alejo in the 2010 race for 28th District Assembly, has filed paperwork to run again in the newly created 30th District. Alejo also has announced he will run for that seat.
Another resident, Steve Nami of Aptos, filed to run for California’s 20th District in the U.S. House of Representatives. That district includes part of eastern San Benito County.
