Graphic designer Marby Lee to join council after two years of it
being all male
Morgan Hill – Political observers say a larger-than-usual field of candidates had an effect on the local city council election last week.
Some election watchers wondered what would have happened if four city council candidates, not five, had run.
“Had Al Tervalon not run, Alex Kennett could have picked up some of those votes,” predicted Swanee Edwards, who supported Kennett’s campaign.
But others with different political leanings were happy to see more competition.
“I was glad to see five candidates,” said former Morgan Hill mayor and councilwoman Lauri Barke, who served on the council from 1984 to 1991. Barke supported graphic designer Marby Lee’s victorious campaign. “There was more diversity. Every candidate brings a different perspective.”
Incumbent City Councilman Greg Sellers and Lee won four-year terms, getting 5,044 and 3,285 votes, respectively. Chris Borello came in third place with 3,073 votes. Kennett received 2,614 votes and Al Tervalon got 1,590 votes.
“I’m really excited about this new phase in my life,” Lee said. “I’m looking forward to working with the new mayor (Steve Tate) and the city staff. It’s all positive.”
Barke was not surprised by youthful Borello’s – he’s only 25 – strong showing in his first bid for political office.
“Chris was not really a newcomer in town,” she said. “He was born and raised here. That was an advantage – people know his family.”
Edwards said elections in Morgan Hill sometimes resemble popularity contests as far as who has the most signs and who gets name recognition.
“We had several reports of someone in a red pickup picking up Alex’s signs. I think it had an impact,” she said, adding a snafu at the post office kept Kennett from getting campaign mailers out in September.
“If he had gotten his mailers out in September,” she said, “before people were deluged with political mailers, that might have helped.”
Others in the community were pleased to see a woman rejoin the council after two years of it being all male.
“It always matters that our boards and elected officials are truly representative and reflective to the greatest extent possible of the diversity of our community,” said Laura Gonzalez Escoto, a retired city official who helped with get out the vote efforts in Morgan Hill. “So hopefully she can bring a perspective of a working woman and a working mother.”
Former city councilwoman Hedy Chang, who served from 1996 to 2004, agreed – she also endorsed Lee’s campaign.
“I’m happy to see another woman on the council,” Chang said. “I am sure she’ll do a good job. Marby is very conscious and works very hard.”
In addition to being a good year for the lone woman candidate, and a promising year for the youngest candidate, the council race also reflected partisanship in the community.
Borello, Lee and defeated mayoral candidate Dennis Delisle, a local accountant, were backed by GOP groups. Sellers, Kennett and Mayor-elect Steve Tate were endorsed by Democrats.
“I’m happy one of them got in,” Delisle said, referring to Lee and Borello. “We campaigned for her.”
All three GOP candidates ran on platforms that stressed their conservative approach to finances. They railed against past elected officials who approved deficit spending. And they were against the city’s use of eminent domain for the redevelopment agency.
“Through the campaign process we helped to change (Tate’s) mind on eminent domain,” Delisle suggested. “I made my decision on principle. I think he made his on popularity.”
Delisle, who lost to Tate 59 to 41 percent, said he was disappointed with the results. But he’s happy with the effort his supporters put forth.
“We had a hard campaign and I worked my butt off,” Delisle said. “We tried to keep it above board. We didn’t want Morgan Hill to become another ‘San Jose.’ ”
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tburchyns@morganhilltimes.
