City Council Election ’08

We Get to Choose Those People on Local Cable Channel 15!

Do you have election fatigue?  Well, brace yourself, because we’re just entering the main stretch.

I know, I know… you just voted in the Presidential Primary, and we’re all transfixed by the Obamania sweeping the the nation.  The prospect of cancelling the Curmedgeon Maverick McCain vs. Billary No Holds Barred Cage Fight has the talking heads in a frenzy.  But, Fellow Davisites, don’t forget that another important election will take place this summer.

Campaigning for the City Council Election in June 2008 has begun with full force.  In June, we’ll elect three people to serve on the five person Council (in 2006, Ruth Asmundson & Lamar Heystek were elected to four-year terms).

Over the next few months, be prepared to see the candidates at every Farmers Market, vigorously shaking hands and answering questions.  For me, this is one of the best aspects of our community: our candidates are visible and readily accessible to all of the voters for months before an election.

After the jump, we’ll introduce you to the formally announced candidates for the highest office in our beloved People’s Republic.

In PoliSci 101, students are invariably taught that incumbency is the most powerful tool that a candidate can possess.  There is no exception to this rule in Davis.  Incumbents are regularly featured in their
official capacities, for free, in the local media.  They have spent  their years in office creating a large network of supporters.  This year, three incumbents are running for re-election: Stephen Souza, Don
Saylor, and Sue Greenwald.

The challengers in this race face an uphill battle to raise name recognition and money to mount a credible campaign.  Sydney Vergis has formally entered the race, Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald has all but “officially” declared, and the DavisVoice occasionally hears whispers about another two possible challengers.

Over the next few months, we’ll be interviewing all of the candidates.  If you’ve got a question for any or all of them, send it to tips@davisvoice.com.

Regardless of the personal bias of any of our contributors, each candidate will receive full and candid coverage until Election Day.

So, now its time for you to do your homework.  Below, you will find the websites for all of the candidates (in reverse alphabetical order):

Sydney Vergis
Stephen Souza
Don Saylor
Sue Greenwald (no relation to Cecilia)
Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald (website not up yet, but this is her Facebook group)