Campaigns still roll

The Fourth of July traditionally opens the election campaigns, but City Council incumbents Elizabeth Pearson and Kelly Boyd have been on the stump since early spring. Both have held kick-off events and are collecting donations.

Pearson held her second fundraiser Tuesday night at the House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer.

State Senator Tom Harmon’s aide, Emanuel Patrascu hasn’t had time yet to hold a kickoff event, but he is running..

“I am absolutely a candidate,” Patrascu said Wednesday.

Three council seats will be on the Nov. 2 ballot, including that of incumbent Toni Iseman, who has not yet declared whether she will run for reelection.

Patrascu has had to delay his kickoff to go up north to assist the campaign of Sam Blakeslee to replace Abel Maldonado who was appointed lieutenant governor. Republican Blakeslee failed by a fraction to gain the votes needed to avoid a run-off with his Democratic opponent for the 15th Senate District, which runs from Santa Clara County in Northern California to the northern Santa Barbara County.

Blakeslee’s election would give Senate Republicans a little breathing room — and the votes to block the two-thirds votes needed to pass budget or taxes they didn’t like if proposed by Democrats.

No date has been set for Patrascu’s kickoff, but he said he plans to hold several events to introduce himself to the community.

All three announced candidates have filed Candidate Statements of Intention (501 forms), which must be filed prior to the solicitation or receipt of any contributions or expenditures of personal funds.

Candidates must file Statement of Organization/ Recipient Committee (410 forms) within 10 days of receiving $1,000 in donations.

A recipient committee is qualified when it crosses the $1,000 threshold during a calendar year.

Contributions are defined as money, loans or in-kind goods or services received used or made for political purposes.

The forms are filed with the Secretary of State, who issues a number to the committee and sends the documents to the city clerk.

School board candidates file all campaign documents with the county registrar.

IMPORTANT CANDIDATE DATES

July 12: First day to pull nomination papers

Candidates may prepare and pay for the cost of printing and handling a 200-or less-word statement of qualifications through Aug. 6. The statement may be withdrawn, but not changed until 5 p.m. on next working day after nominations close. No reference to another candidate is permitted.

July 31: Due date for semi-annual incumbent candidates’ statement of contributions and expenditures (460 forms), covering Jan. 1 through June 30

Statements must include donations of $100 or more and the names and addresses of the donors.

470 forms are filed if the candidates have not or do not expect to collect any funds for the year.

Aug. 6: Deadline to file a declaration of candidacy, unless an incumbent does not run, which extends the deadline to Aug. 11 for any candidate except the incumbent.

The last day for school board and special district candidates to withdraw.

Aug. 12: Random drawing for candidate’s placement on the ballot

Sept. 6 to Oct. 19: Write-in candidates may submit statements.

Nov. 2: Election Day.