By Jorge Casuso
August 7, 2012 -- Two City Council candidates have qualified for the ballot and three School Board hopefuls from Malibu, including a well-known local political consultant, jumped into the race last week as the Friday deadline approaches to submit signed petitions to the City Clerk.
Former Council member Tony Vazquez, who lost his council seat in 1994, qualified for the ballot last Wednesday, and Robert Seldon, an attorney who co-founded Northeast Neighbors, made the ballot Friday.
Eighteen other council hopefuls, including incumbents Gleam Davis and Terry O'Day, have pulled papers to run for four open council seats. To qualify for the November 6 ballot, potential candidates must submit the signatures of 100 registered voters living in Santa Monica by Friday.
Among the four School Board hopefuls is Seth Jacobson, who entered the local political arena as a consultant for the successful campaign backed by oceanfront hotels to defeat a pioneering living wage ordinance on the 2000 ballot.
Jacobson made headlines in 2006 when he helped run a campaign bankrolled by the Edward Thomas Management Company, which owns the Shutters and Casa del Mar hotels, targeting incumbent Kevin McKeown in the council race.
The television ad campaign, which portrayed McKeown as a champion for the homeless, drew criticism and attention when it was revealed one the opponents who appeared in the ad backed McKeown. The incumbent council member easily won, finishing first in the race for three open seats.
Jacobson is part of a slate of three Malibu candidates who are running on a platform that includes backing a movement for the city to secede from the School District. ("Three Malibu Candidates Form School Board Slate," August 7, 2012)
The other two candidates on the slate are Craig Foster and Karen Farrer, who along with Jacobson pulled papers last Wednesday.
Incumbent Maria Leon Vazquez, whio is married to council candidate Tony Vazquez, was the first of the eight School Board candidates to make the ballot.
In addition to Vazquez, incumbents Ben Allen and Jose Escarce also have pulled papers for three open seats, as have challengers Chase Greenich and Jake Wachtel, who made a bid for the board in 2010.
In the race for College Board, the three incumbents -- Susan Aminoff, Robert Rader and Margaret Quinones-Perez -- have all qualifird for the ballot. No challengers have pulled papers.
In the race for Rent Board, incumbent Robert Kronovet and challenger Christopher Walton have both qualified for the ballot. Incumbent Ilse Rosenstein has pulled papers but not yet submitted her nominating petitions.
While the College and Rent Board races have drawn only one challenger, the race for four council seats has lured 20 hopefuls after two incumbents indicated they would not run, leaving two open seats on the council for the first time in more than two decades. ("Another Santa Monica Planning Commissioner Joins Council Race," August 3, 2012)
Mayor Richard Bloom, who is in a November runoff for the 51st Assembly District, has announced he will not seek reelection, while Shriver has said privately that he doesn't plan to run and is exploring making a bid for LA County Supervisor. ("Santa Monica Council Member Bobby Shriver Exploring Options," August 30, 2012)
