Days after the candidate filing period opened for the Nov. 3 general election, three incumbent Redwood City Council members have pulled nomination papers, putting them one step closer to throwing their hats in the ring.
With three Redwood City districts up for council election, Chris Sturken of District 2, Diane Howard of District 6 and Kaia Eakin of District 5 are the only potential candidates to have pulled papers so far. They could run unopposed if no challengers enter the races before the Aug. 7 filing deadline. Eakin, who is currently serving as vice mayor of Redwood City, would be next in line for mayor if she keeps her seat.
Mayoral rotations take place every two years, with Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos’ term slated to expire in December, just over a month after the general election. The City Council adopted a policy in 2019 establishing a mayoral rotation based on seniority, with the vice mayor up to bat. The council is expected to choose Redwood City’s next mayor at its Dec. 21 meeting.
Eakin and Howard had their nomination papers pulled on Tuesday, while Sturken did so on Wednesday, according to the City Clerk’s Office. This means these candidates have officially obtained the filing packet from the City Clerk’s office to start the process of campaigning.
While Sturken and Eakin were first elected in 2022 and are finishing their first four-year terms, Howard is a veteran council member. First elected to the City Council in 1994, Howard has served on the council every year since — except for a break between 2009 and 2013. She’s also been appointed as mayor twice: in 1997 and 2019.
Before the city’s 2022 redistricting efforts, Howard represented District 5.
The filing period will close at 5 p.m. on Aug. 7, leaving several weeks for folks of Redwood City Districts 2, 6 and 5 to run for City Council if they so choose. Those interested in running must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens, registered voters and must live in the district they’d be representing for at least 30 days before the nomination deadline. Visit this link to view an interactive map of the different City Council Election Districts.
To run, pick up a nomination packet by scheduling an appointment with City Clerk Yessika Castro at (650) 780-7220 or ycastro@redwoodcity.org. Nomination papers must be signed by 30 registered voters from the respective council district.
The write-in candidate filing period spans Sept. 7 to Oct. 20.
A candidate’s filing is complete only if the City Clerk confirms the candidate is eligible and that all of their documents were completed correctly and submitted on time. An elected official will be sworn in only after the election is certified.
Following a Tuesday vote by the City Council, the only local ballot measure Redwood City voters will decide in November is whether to adopt rent control and expanded tenant protections. The ordinance would establish rent stabilization and add tenant protections and anti-harassment safeguards.
All actions related to placing a measure on the ballot must be completed by Aug. 7 as well for the upcoming Nov. 3 election.
