Challengers consider running for MHUSD board of education seats

According to an unofficial candidate list supplied by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, three potential challengers have shown interest in running to unseat incumbents on the Morgan Hill Unified School District of Board of Trustees. 

For MHUSD Trustee Area 5, Tyler Smith has pulled papers to run in the Nov. 5 election for the seat that is currently occupied by Trustee Ivan Rosales Montes. Montes is not yet listed as a candidate, according to the ROV’s unofficial list. 

For Trustee Area 6, incumbent Trustee Mary Patterson and challenger Rebecca Munson have pulled papers to run for that seat. And in Trustee Area 7, Tom Pocus has shown interest in running for the seat where incumbent Adam Escoto is currently serving. 

The qualifying period for local candidates for the Nov. 5 election ends on Aug. 9. For seats where an incumbent has not filed paperwork to run for reelection, the qualifying period will be extended to Aug. 14, according to election officials. 

Also on the ballot are Morgan Hill’s mayor’s seat and two city council districts. Incumbent Mark Turner announced earlier this summer that he plans to run for reelection. 

Yvonne Martinez Beltran, who currently represents District B on the council, has submitted a candidate intention statement to run for mayor, but has not yet pulled papers, the Morgan Hill City Clerk’s site says. 

For City Council District A, David Dindak has submitted paperwork to run for the council seat, but has not yet completed the qualification process, says the city clerk’s site. Rodolfo (Rudy) Vega has pulled papers to run for District A on Nov. 5, but has not yet filed the paperwork. 

District A Council member Gino Borgioli has said he plans to run for reelection. 

And for City Council District C, Soraida Iwanaga and Michael Orosco have pulled papers but are not yet qualified to run, says the clerk’s site. 

For the Nov. 5 election for Morgan Hill City Treasurer, Cindy Murphy has qualified to run for the seat that is currently held by Caitlin Robinett Jachimowicz. Murphy is identified on the ROV site as a retired assistant city manager. 

Anyone interested in running for mayor, city council or city treasurer is encouraged to make an appointment with the city clerk’s office to pull nomination papers and then continue with the eligibility qualification process. City Clerk Michelle Bigelow’s office is located at 17575 Peak Ave., and can be reached by phone at 408.310.4678. 

Those interested in running for MHUSD trustee areas 5, 6 or 7; Gavilan trustee areas 2, 4 or 6; or county board of education trustee areas 1, 3, 4 or 5 should visit the Registrar of Voters’ office to pull papers and for other assistance. The Registrar of Voters’ Candidate Services Division is located at 1555 Berger Drive, Bldg. 2 in San Jose. 

The registrar’s office offers in-person and online support for issuing and filing nomination documents during the nominations period, says a press release from the registrar’s office. 

Expected to draw a large turnout of voters in Santa Clara County and nationwide, the Nov. 5 general election ballot will be headlined by the offices of U.S. President, U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress, among dozens of state and regional offices.