It Looks to Be a Busy Year for Local Elections

Today marks the official opening for nominations to open positions within Sonoma County. With multiple seats available in both the Rohnert Park and Cotati City Councils the local climate is ripe for change.

Add to that the current President of the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District Governing Board's term is expiring along with another member means there will more than likely be a lot of yards signs popping up around the community between now and November.

Here is a quick summary of positions that will need to be filled.

City of Rohnert Park

• Council Positions up for Election - 3
• Term Length - 4 years

Current Members with terms expiring are:

• Mayor Jake Mackenzie
• Council Member Gina Belforte
• Council Member Joseph T. Callinan

City of Cotati

• Council Positions up for Election - 3
• Term Length - 4 years

Current Members with terms expiring are:

• Mayor Susan Harvey
• Council Member John Dell'Osso (appointed May 2011)
• Council Member Janet Orchard

Cotati-Rohnert Park USD

• Positions up for Election - 2
• Term Length - 4 years

Members with terms expiring are:

• President Ed Gilardi
• Member Karyn Pulley

Are you interested in running? If you have been having issues with the decision making process in either Rohnert Park, Cotati, or the School Board, or you think you would be better at representing the local community, you could officially take out paper for public office for the upcoming general election.

Information regarding the election in Rohnert Park, such as official nomination documents, is available at the City Clerk's Office in the Rohnert Park City Hall located at 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park.

For Cotati, the City Manager / Clerk's Office is located at 201 West Sierra Avenue, Cotati inside the City Hall building.

The election process for the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District is handled by the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters located at 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa.

The official Nomination Period ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 10, 2012.  If nomination papers for an incumbent are not filed by the last date of the filing period, the deadline for nominations for that incumbent’s office is extended to 5 p.m. on August 15, 2012.  Once filed, a candidate may withdraw his or her nomination paper until the filing deadline of 5 p.m. on August 13, 2012 (or 5 p.m. on August 16, 2012 if the deadline is extended.)       

The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

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Editor's note: Correction made to change Cotati City Council positions open to show as "3" and added Mayor Susan Harvey as having a term expiring.