Filing for June 6 primary election candidates closes at 5 p.m. Friday, with only one of the races for a representatives for Martinez presenting a possibility of a vigorous contest.
City Councilman Mike Menesini has taken out papers to run against Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg in the newly redistricted 5th supevisorial seat, which extends Glover's former all-East County seat into West County.
Glover has been campaigning in the Martinez area since the Board of Supervisors re-aligned the districts last year according to new census figures. He has powerful backing from East County Democratic interests and labor unions, which he will need to combat the well-known Menesini, a Republican who is a former long-term mayor of Martinez who has run for numerous other seats. He has not yet announced supporters. The seat is technically non-partisan.
In partisan races, Rep. George Miller, Democrat of Martinez, and Rep. Mike Thompson, Democrat from St. Helena, have both qualified to run for re-election.
This year, Miller is running in the newly carved 11th Congressional District, which cuts him out of the northern part of the city but would keep him representing the area south of Highway 4, should he be re-elected, as expected.
Several candidates have taken out nomination papers to run against him, but had not yet filed by Wednesday night. Among them are Democrats Cheryl Sudduth of Richmond and John Charles Fitzgerald of Concord, Republicans Kelley Shane Swanson of Fairfield and Virginia Fuller of Pinole, and David Gesinger of El Cerrito in the Green Party.
Thompson's former all-north-state district has been compacted and moved south to become the 5th District and take in Martinez north of Highway 4. He also is heavily favored for re-election. Randy Loftin a Republican from Napa, has taken out papers to run for the seat.
State Sen. Lois Wolk, Democrat of Davis, has qualified to seek re-election in the new 3rd Senate District, which has been extended south to include Martinez. The 7th District represented by Mark DeSaulnier of Concord has been south of the city.
Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla of Concord, who has represented Martinez for two years, has qualified to seek re-election in what is now the 14th Assembly District. So far she has no opposition.
Under a new "open primary" election law, candidates for non-partisan seats do not have to list their party affiliations on the ballot, but prominent incumbents are expected to do so. Those who are opposed may face the second-highest vote-getter in November regardless of party.
Other partisan offices for membership on county political party central committees will also be decided in June. Candidates must run in districts that correspond to the new supervisorial districts. Central committees aid state party committees in registering voters and getting out the vote on election days.
Non-partisan candidates for county Superior Court judge seats are also on the June ballot, with most incumbents are seeking re-election without opposition.
Filing opens in July for regional and local races on the November ballot, including cities, school districts, and special districts including water, sanitary, BART and others.
