Morgan Hill – The fact that city council candidate Alex Kennett earlier this year shifted his residence from a house outside city limits to a house in town where his mother-in-law lives so he could legally run for city council has led to anonymous questions over where he’s actually residing.
But Kennett this week he wasn’t particularly surprised, or angered, to learn of the allegations, saying the anonymous complaints received by The Times and City Clerk Irma Torrez are baseless and were put forth by political foes looking to discredit him just days before the Nov. 7 election.
Kennett emphatically stated he’s not misleading voters by claiming one address while living at another. He said he and his wife moved from their Perry Lane home, outside of the city, to Appian Way about four months ago, taking a room at the home of his mother-in-law where she had been living alone.
California election code requires candidates for political office to be 18 years of age by Election Day, a citizen of the state, a resident of the district in which he or she is seeking office and a registered voter. “Residence” for voting purposes means the place to which a person, whenever he or she is out, “has the intention of returning,” according to state law.
Kennett said the Appian Way home fits that description. In other words, he said it’s where he sleeps at night. He said he continues to use his house on Perry Lane, located about one mile away, as an office for his consulting business.
None of the four candidates competing with Kennett for a spot on the city council has made an issue of Kennett’s residency publicly. Reached for comment during the week, none said they had been seriously questioning Kennett’s address.
Chris Borello, another candidate, said he didn’t know Kennett owned property outside the city.
Greg Sellers, the lone incumbent running for reelection, said the allegations lacked merit and were an attempt to distract voters from the issues at hand. Candidate Marby Lee echoed that sentiment, saying Kennett’s new address was not on the forefront of her mind.
In papers Kennett filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission on July 19, Kennett lists owning three properties in Morgan Hill on Monterey Road, Claremont Avenue and Callee Enrique. He said his wife, Yarmila Vera Kennett, is the legal trustee of the home on Appian Way.
Kennett said he would keep his residence in Morgan Hill, if elected, possibly moving in the future to one of his properties in town which he’s renting out.
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tburchyns@morganhilltimes.
