Incumbents Predict Quiet Campaigns as Filing Period Opens

A handful of city council and mayoral hopefuls picked up their candidacy papers Monday, marking a quiet beginning to this year’s election season.

City council seats are open in nine of Ventura County’s 10 cities. The filing period for the Nov. 3 election begins this week and runs through Aug. 7.

Voters also will make choices in 22 county school districts, 21 special districts and choose several judges, county officials, and state and federal representatives.

Some incumbent council members foresee a quiet election season.

“We’ve come through a very turbulent period, and I think people are taking a deep breath and looking at where we are,” said Port Hueneme Mayor Jonathan Sharkey, who plans to run for another term on the council.

“I don’t think this is a time of radical change in the city.”

Two other Port Hueneme City Council incumbents will also try to retain their seats.

Oxnard Mayor Manuel Lopez, who plans to run for his fourth two-year term, said he does not expect any pitched battles. “You just never know,” he said, “but I would anticipate a calm season.”

Growth is one of the few issues that could heat up elections this fall, analysts say. The perennial hot topic has attracted renewed attention with initiatives in cities across the county sponsored by Save Our Open Space and Agricultural Resources, or SOAR.

“Now that you’ve got an organization that has begun to surface against SOAR, it will be interesting to see where they put their organizing and their money,” said Cal Lutheran University political science professor Herbert Gooch.

“The people against SOAR will have a real impact in the rural areas,” Gooch said. “There you can see the beginnings of a real fight.”

Longtime political consultant Debra Creadick agreed. “Growth is always an issue,” she said, “but I think it will become more of an issue because of the SOAR initiatives. I think you’ll see a lot of debate.”

Council Seats in Camarillo

In Camarillo, council seats held by Michael Morgan and Mayor Charlotte Craven are up for grabs, along with that of Stanley Daily, who was first elected in 1964. Daily has announced he will not seek reelection.

In Fillmore, incumbents Don Gunderson and Linda Brewster have not indicated whether they will run again. Both have served two terms.

Gunderson, a retired career naval officer, said he is discussing the matter with his family. “My wife and I still have to reach our personal agreement that it’s OK,” he said.

In Moorpark, all three incumbents whose seats are open--Mayor Pat Hunter and council members John Wozniak and Bernardo Perez--have announced plans to run.

In Ojai, three seats are open. While Mayor Joe Devito said he plans to run again and Councilman Steve Olsen has not announced his plans, four-term incumbent council member Nina Shelley has decided to call it quits.

“I’ll take some time to play with my grandchildren and smell the flowers,” Shelley said. She said she also plans to take time to mentor more women who become involved in local government.

In Oxnard, Mayor Manuel Lopez plans to run for his fourth two-year term this November. Council members Thomas Holden and Dean Maulhardt also are expected to run again, Lopez said.

In Port Hueneme, incumbents Anthony Volante and Robert Turner have taken out candidacy papers for their council seats. Mayor Sharkey is also expected to run again.

In Santa Paula, council incumbent Don Johnson took out candidacy papers early Monday. Seats held by Laura Espinosa and John Melton are also open.

In Simi Valley, council seats held by Paul Miller and Sandi Webb are up for grabs. Miller, a former Simi Valley police chief, has taken out papers to run for reelection. Webb, first elected in 1990, has not announced her plans.

Simi Valley voters also will choose a new mayor. Mayor Greg Stratton, a 19-year council veteran, announced last week that he would not seek reelection to the independently elected post.

Runoff Race for Judge

The countless city council contests are just some of the many county races to be decided on the fall ballot.

After failing to muster a majority vote in the three-way race to replace suspended Superior Court Judge Robert Bradley, Kevin McGee, Dist. Atty. Michael Bradbury’s second-in-command, will face a runoff election in November with public defender Gary Windom.

In the race to succeed outgoing Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard), Republican Tony Strickland, a conservative 28-year-old legislative aide, will face moderate Democrat Roz McGrath, a schoolteacher and member of the McGrath farming family.

And in the campaign to replace retiring county Assessor Glenn Gray, in-house hopeful James Dodd and appraiser Dan Goodwin are headed for a November runoff after besting Simi Valley Mayor Greg Stratton and four other candidates in a wide-open contest.

Other showdowns on the November ballot include the campaign to replace retiring Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos), which will feature Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson against Republican Chris Mitchum; the 24th Congressional District race featuring U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) versus Republican Randy Hoffman; and the 23rd Congressional District race featuring U.S. Rep Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) versus Democrat Daniel Gonzalez.

There als will be board elections in 22 county school districts, including the Ventura County Board of Education, and 21 special districts, including the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District, which represents the Hollywood Beach and Silver Strand areas.

Bustillo is a Times staff writer. Takenouchi and Hong are correspondents.