Field of 22 Vying for 7 Town Council Seats

An unprecedented 22 candidates have entered the race for seven Town Council seats up for election May 16.

The 14-member advisory council consists of two representatives from each of the unincorporated community’s seven census tracts. One council member and one alternate is elected annually for each tract.

The candidates are:

* Tract 4601: Betty Bell, incumbent Frank H. Bridal, Jacqueline Fennesey, Wesley Mitchell and Alice Marie Sterling.

* Tract 4602: Henrietta Davidson, Charlotte E. Forte-Taylor, incumbent Robert M. Powe and Saleem Samia.

* Tract 4603: Francia Hines, Ellenor L. Hodson and incumbent Cue MacKenzie.

* Tract 4610: John Laraway, Willard H. Scott and Porter Swayne Jr. Incumbent Lucille Colbert is not seeking reelection.

* Tract 4611: Collin J. L. Campbell, William Caulfield and Jan Rodriguez. Incumbent Michael Murray is not seeking reelection.

* Tract 4612: Alternate Gregory Norden and DeJuan Taylor. Incumbent John Canby is not seeking reelection.

* Tract 4613: James C. Iamurri and Nancy J. Manchee. Albert Mitchell is not seeking reelection.

The candidate with the most votes in each tract will be elected to a two-year term and the runner-up will act as an alternate for one year.

Balloting will be conducted during the annual Old Fashioned Days Parade. Voting tables at six community sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For the first time since the council formed in 1976, sheriff’s deputies will carry ballots to the Altadena Library to be counted.

“Because of the record number of candidates this year, we need to ensure the integrity of the ballot box more than we have in the past,” Election Committee Chairman Steven Bridal said.