Nomination period for Burbank council and school board begins Monday

With the presidential election now in the books, the Burbank City Clerk’s office is ramping up for the upcoming municipal election.

On Monday, Burbank started its open nomination period for the 2017 primary nominating election, in which residents will vote on Feb. 28 — via mail-in ballot only — to fill three open seats on the City Council, the city clerk’s position, city treasurer’s post and two vacant spots on the Burbank Unified School Board.

Those looking to run for one of those positions have until Dec. 2 to pull papers with the City Clerk’s office and will have until Dec. 15 to submit their completed packet — which includes getting at least 50 signatures and a $500 deposit, City Clerk Zizette Mullins said.

Requirements to run for public office are being a U.S. citizen and a Burbank resident, at least 18 years old and a registered voter in the city.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

Mayor Jess Talamantes and councilmen Bob Frutos and David Gordon have pulled papers seeking reelection. Local businessman Richard Carr has also filed to run for one of the three open council seats.

Mullins and City Treasurer Debbie Kukta are also running for reelection and are currently running unopposed.

Burbank Unified incumbents Larry Applebaum and Charlene Tabet have also filed their papers to stay on the school board. Steve Frintner, a former Burbank PTA Council president, is looking to bump one of the incumbents off the board.

Mullins said she is more than happy to explain to first-time candidates all the intricacies of running for public office.

“We spend a good half an hour to 40 minutes with them,” she said, grabbing a large binder full of the information a candidate needs to know. “I tell them, ‘I know there’s a lot of information and that they can always call us,’ but I like to take the time to go through it with them because I want them to feel comfortable when they walk away that they were provided with all the information.”

Mullins and her staff are already well into preparing for the upcoming primary election. On Wednesday, several of her staff members were busy organizing voting materials for polling places and going through signs telling residents where to vote.

The city clerk added that her department is organizing a meet-and-greet event with the candidates, which should be held in the upcoming weeks, to allow residents to casually meet with those who are running for local public office.

“This is your opportunity to meet the candidates,” Mullins said.

For more information about registering to become a candidate in the 2017 municipal election, contact the City Clerk’s office at (818) 238-5851.

--

Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio