26 Candidates File for City, School Races : Election: A record 17 hope to compete for three seats on the City Council in the April vote. For the first time, newcomers will make up a council majority.

The sole challenger in the Glendale Community College District election withdrew last week, but nothing daunted a record number of candidates from piling into the City Council and school district races.

A total of 26 candidates met the 5 p.m. deadline Tuesday for submitting signatures of at least 500 registered Glendale voters.

The signatures still must be validated by the county Registrar of Voters--which is expected to take at least a week--before candidates are certified to appear on the April 6 ballot.

The large field of candidates was prompted by the retirement of all three council incumbents whose seats are up for reelection and the retirement of two of the three school board trustees whose terms end in April.

The election will mark the first time in recent history that newcomers will serve as the majority on the five-member council, signaling the possible beginning of a new era in Glendale politics.

Quitting are Mayor Carl Raggio, who served two terms, three-term veteran Ginger Bremberg and first-term Councilman Dick Jutras. Larry Zarian, a 10-year member, and Eileen Givens, elected two years ago, remain.

Retiring from the school board are Charles Whitesell and June Sweetnam. Jane M. Whitaker, 63, is seeking a fourth term.

Mark MacCarley, 40, who said he had gathered more than 800 signatures to complete his nomination for the college district race, formally withdrew his application last Thursday, saying he would spare the district the estimated $60,000 cost of an election.

MacCarley was the only candidate challenging three trustees seeking reelection: Philip C. Kazajian, 47, an attorney; Kenneth Sweetnam, 67, a retired university administrator, and Ted W. Tiffany, 57, a Glendale principal.

A Glendale attorney specializing in real estate, MacCarley was defeated in two earlier election bids--for the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees in 1987 and the Burbank City Council in 1981.

MacCarley said he has taught classes in real estate law at the Glendale campus and was aware that the district’s cost of conducting an election would be equivalent to the annual salary of 1 1/2 full-time instructors.

“Glendale Community College--like other community colleges in California--faces such financial hardship and budget cuts that my candidacy would be conducted at the expense of faculty and students,” he said. “I have a continued deep commitment to the community college system . . . and the institution is more important” than election to office.

College trustees, in a special meeting Tuesday, adopted a motion to withdraw from the municipal election, said Lawrence Serot, vice president of administration. The three incumbents are expected to be appointed to new four-year terms on Feb. 22.

Also unchallenged are City Clerk Eileen B. Boyle and Treasurer Elizabeth W. Evans, whose names will appear on the ballot unopposed.

But 17 candidates--believed to be a record--completed their nomination papers for the council race, said Dorothy Outwater, a city election officer. A total of 21 candidates announced they would seek office after filing opened Jan. 7, but four subsequently withdrew.

Eight candidates ran for the council in the last election in 1991, and 13 competed in 1989. One incumbent had retired in each of those elections.

Despite heavy campaigning by candidates, 22% or less of the registered voters participated in recent municipal elections. The number of registered voters also has declined by more than 6% in the last two years--to fewer than 70,000--although the population has soared to more than 185,000. That has prompted several organizations, including a coalition of Armenian groups, to launch registration drives. The deadline is March 8.

City Council candidates who completed nomination requirements by Tuesday’s deadline include Sheldon S. Baker, 56, a Los Angeles attorney and former 16-year trustee of the Glendale Unified School District; John K. Beach, 47, a semi-retired computer programmer; Linda Benjamin, 43, a businesswoman; DeWitt Jon Clinton, 36, an unemployed actor, and John Krikorian, 60, a magazine publisher.

Others are Jerrol LeBaron, 29, a jewelry company owner; Stuart L. Lovi, 26, a financial services assistant manager; Richard N. Matthews, 54, former vice president of communications for Carnation Co.; Vosgan Mekhitarian, 46, administrator of a Glendale law office, and George Min, 51, a Los Angeles Police detective.

Still more are Mary Ann Plumley, 62, a real estate broker; Richard M. Reyes, 55, community relations coordinator for the city; Bob Torres, 37, a real estate consultant; David E. Wallis Jr., 56, an electrical engineer; David G. Weaver, 53, a civil engineer; Gordon I. Yanz, 59, a Glendale attorney, and Bob Yousefian, 36, a building contractor.

Nine candidates completed nomination papers for election to the board of trustees of the Glendale Unified School District, where Whitaker is the only incumbent.

Challengers for the three open seats are Jeanne Bentley, a former counselor at Crescenta Valley High School; Deborah Dentler, 40, a Glendale College law professor; Louise Foote, 55, a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District, and John A. Forthmann IV, 57, principal of Adams Middle School in Redondo Beach.

Also seeking election to the school board are Brenda J. Hamer, 47, a Los Angeles attorney; Sid Jurman, 42, an educator; Carol S. Melton, 46, marketing business owner, and Lynda Rocamora, 43, a community volunteer.