Town Council decides on election guidelines
Janine Marnien
Those interested in running for the Crescenta Valley Town Council
can apply now, the council has decided.
A report from the election committee on election guidelines was
heard by the council at its September meeting, and was largely
accepted save for a proposed bylaw change concerning officer
elections.
Guidelines include extending the election from a half-day to a
full day and changing the process by which voters can get absentee
ballots.
“I like that we’ve extended the hours and they’re willing to man
the polls,” President Danette Erickson said. “And there had been some
discussion about not allowing absentee ballots, but we will be doing
that, which I think is a good thing. Everybody has a right to vote,
and we’re hoping everyone does vote.”
The council also voted at a special meeting Sept. 5 to allow
voters to select only one candidate instead of three, as in years
past.
Councilman Charles Beatty challenged the previous decision at the
regular meeting of the council Sept. 19, but was unsuccessful in
changing his colleagues’ minds.
Alternate Councilwoman Jaleen Lunt was opposed to reversing the
previous decision.
“It just struck me as wrong,” she said. “Not two weeks before, the
same issues had been voted on and it had passed by a narrow margin.
To have it brought up again when most of the people who amounted to
the majority weren’t there just seemed wrong.”
Three regular and three alternate seats will be open at the
election, which will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 2. Applications
can be downloaded off the council’s Web site at
www.yourtowncouncil.org, or by calling 248-9387. Applications must be
postmarked by Oct. 15.
Absentee ballots are available by mail to registered voters upon
request. Requests should be sent to P.O. Box 8676, La Crescenta, CA
91214.
The proposed bylaw change will be considered by the council and
brought back for the discussion at the October meeting.