Winslow Dropping Out of Council Race

Small businessman Lance Winslow announced Friday that he was dropping out of the Thousand Oaks City Council race because he was being tailed by photographers, and because of the increasing costs of running a campaign.

Winslow’s decision leaves nine people running for two seats in the Nov. 5 election.

The 32-year-old owner of a mobile carwash service, Winslow said he woke up at his girlfriend’s house in Oak Park on Friday morning to find photographers taking pictures of his truck, trying to prove, he believes, that he was no longer living in Thousand Oaks.

“This election is getting out of hand,” Winslow said. “I’ve got people following me around. My parents have gotten crank calls.”

He said he found out later in the day that the photographers he saw Friday were from a local newspaper. But he said he still believes he has been followed by opponents’ representatives on other occasions.

Winslow said he was spending much of his time with his girlfriend in Oak Park, but decided to rent a room in Thousand Oaks so he could run for City Council. He stressed that he planned to move back to the city full time if he was elected.

But the increasing costs of running for City Council--and the harassment he was facing from anonymous opponents--were more than he could take, he said.

“Usually, I stayed at my girlfriend’s house [in Oak Park],” Winslow said. “I was only at the room twice a week.”

The issue of whether Winslow’s rented room established him as a legal resident and legitimate candidate was raised first when he filed for office. The city clerk ruled that he was qualified to run.

Winslow said the aborted run at the City Council--his third council campaign--was his last. He said he struggled with whether to run earlier this year, and finally opted to give it another shot--a decision he now regrets.

“This is just like the last straw,” Winslow said.

“After that first election, I had hate in me, and after the second one, it just got worse,” he added. “I come back from these speaking forums, and I rant and rave. This is not a job for someone who really cares and has ideals.”