Candidates have until mid-August to file for local campaigns

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

The deadline for candidates to complete qualification for local campaigns with the Registrar of Voters is Aug. 12. Candidates for the Nov. 8 elections are in varying stages of the process to run for the various fire, water, health, planning and school boards.

If an incumbent in any of the races doesn’t run, the filing period is extended to Aug. 17 for that race.

Here is how the campaigns are looking through the end of July:

Fallbrook Union Elementary School District: Two incumbents, Susan Liebes in Area 4 and JoAnn Lopez in Area 5, have completed the qualifications to run again. Incumbent Caron Lieber in Area 1 has said she is uncertain about running and has not taken out papers. Two individuals have taken out papers but not returned them to the ROV: teacher Stacy McRae in Area 4 and Mary McBride in Area 5. No one is yet contending in Area 1.

Fallbrook Union High School District: Incumbents Lita Tabish in Area 1, Elana Sterling in Area 2, and Diane Summers in Area 3 have not taken out papers. Karen Weisberger, a retired science teacher, has qualified for the ballot in Area 3.

Bonsall Unified School District: Three of the five board members are up for election. In Area A, the incumbent is Lou Riddle and he has not taken out papers. In Areas B and D, incumbents Michael Gladdis and Roger Merchat, respectively, have taken out papers, but they were not yet filed. Richard Bruck has qualified for the ballot in Area B.

Vallecitos School District: Trustee Areas 3, 4, and 5 are up for election, as well as a short term race for Area 1. Incumbent Martin Kurland in Area 4 is the only person to take out papers and he has qualified for the ballot.

Palomar College School Board: Incumbent Norma Miyamoto has taken out papers to run for the Area 5 seat. She is a Fallbrook resident and current board president.

Fallbrook Community Planning Group: There are five seats up for election already with five potential candidates, including incumbents Eileen Delaney and Mark Mervich. Others taking our papers are Tara Enyeart, Michele McCaffery and Peter Wilson. Delaney is the only person to return papers and qualify for the ballot.

Rainbow Community Planning Group: This group also has five seats available and five incumbents who have qualified for the ballot. They are Douglas Gastelum, Martin Kurland, Lynette Malinowski, Frederick Rasp and Michele Sheehan. Malinowski and Sheehan are appointed incumbents.

Fallbrook Regional Health District: Jennifer Jeffries in Zone 1 and Howard Salmon in Zone 5 have filed for re-election. Bill Leach, appointed in Zone 3 last month, has not declared.

Fallbrook Public Utility District: Incumbent Keith Endter in Division 2 has declared and filed documents and qualified for the ballot. Incumbent Charley Wolk in Division 5 has not taken out papers.

North County Fire Protection District: In Division 1, Ross Pike has taken out papers. He was appointed to the board in July. In Division 2, Chris Shaw has returned papers and his qualification is pending. In Division 3, Kenneth Munson has taken out papers. Munson and John Van Doorn are incumbents who were elected at-large. However, with new boundaries, Van Doorn is in district 4, same as board member Jeff Egkan, and that position won’t be voted on until 2024.

Rainbow Municipal Water District: Incumbents Miguel Gasca in District 3 and Bill Stewart in District 4 have not yet taken out papers. Gregory Irvine is a challenger in District 3.

San Luis Rey Water District: There are no candidates yet for Division 1, 3 or 5. Incumbents are William Pankey, Thomas Veysey and Christian Zaleschuk, respectively.

For information about filing for any elected position, check the county Registrar of Voters web page, SDvote.com.