Morgan Hill Unified School District’s Board of Education will have three open seats to fill in the November 8 election. The City Council has two open seats, and the mayor’s spot up for grabs in the same election. The city clerk and city treasurer’s seats are also up for election.
The three MHUSD trustees whose terms will expire this year are Tom Arnett (completing former trustee Amy Porter Jensen’s term), Rick Badillo and Bob Benevento.
Interested candidates may pick up nomination documents beginning July 18 at the district office located at 15600 Concord Circle.
The nomination period for interested candidates for MHUSD trustee, city councilmember and mayor closes August 12 unless an incumbent fails to file, in which case the nomination period for that seat will be extended to August 17.
MHUSD board members elected in November will serve 4-year terms beginning December 2016.
Candidates may also file directly at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, located at 1555 Berger Drive in San Jose.
Any person 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the state, a resident of the school district, a registered voter, and who is not disqualified by the Constitution or laws of the state from holding a civil office, is eligible to be elected or appointed a member of a governing board of a school district.
On the city council, seats currently occupied by Larry Carr and Marilyn Librers are up for grabs. Neither has announced their intent to run for re-election, but Planning Commissioner Rene Spring has been campaigning for one of the seats since last year.
The top two vote-getters in the council race will win the seats.
Mayor Steve Tate announced earlier this year he will be seeking his sixth consecutive term as mayor in the Nov. 8 election. No challengers for the mayor’s seat have announced yet.
City Clerk Irma Torrez and City Treasurer Mike Roorda have not announced whether they plan to seek re-election. Both offices, as well as those of the council, serve four-year terms. The mayor serves a two-year term.
Candidates for the city election can pick up nomination packets during the nomination period from City Clerk Irma Torrez’ office at 17575 Peak Ave. For more information or to schedule an appointment, candidates can call Torrez at (408) 776-7380.
Candidates for city offices must be at least 18 years old, a Morgan Hill resident and a registered voter. Potential candidates must submit 20 signatures of registered Morgan Hill voters.
The November election will mark the first MHUSD trustees’ election to utilize new trustee area maps. In order to run as a candidate, individuals must live within the boundaries of a vacant seat. In turn, only residents who live within those trustee areas are eligible to vote to fill that vacant seat.
Trustee boundaries can be found on the district website by clicking the tab “Find Your Trustee Area” from the home page.
