Congratulations to our newly elected
November 5th elections resulted in 3 incumbents and 1 new member added to our city council. For our four year term Mark Addiego received 2,604 votes for a total of 20.42%, while newcomer Liza Normandy garnered 17.60% of the votes coming to 2,245. Also in his first election bid Pradeep Gupta retained his seat with 1,972 votes at 15.46%.
Our 2 year term saw Karyl Matsumoto receive an overwhelming majority of 59.09% of the votes 2,761. Matsumoto had announced during a council meeting she would not continue her campaign due to personal reasons, however she restarted her efforts during the debates when she stated she would need to take some time to care for her elderly mother.
Gupta had been appointed by city council last year to cover the partial term vacated when Kevin Mullin was elected to State Assembly. Mullin had only served one year of the 4 year term, Gupta covered the last year and Matsumoto will finish the balance.
Normandy’s win for city council will now leave a vacancy on the SSFUSD board which will need to have an appointment to cover her position.
City Clerk Krista Martinelli will continue on with another 4 years as she and City Treasurer Frank Risso, who also will return to his position, ran unopposed. Martinelli had 4,328 votes for her City Council seat with City Treasurer Risso receiving 4,347 votes.
Four year candidates included Maurice Goodman (12.70% 1,620 votes), Rick Ochsenhirt (10.93% 1,394 votes), John Prouty (9.63% 1,228 votes), Kate MacKay (7.72% 984 votes), and Bill Lock (5.54% 706 votes). The 2 year term candidates also included Carlos Martin (26.34% 1,231 votes) and Colin Post (14.57% 681 votes)
Our city was very fortunate to have 11 qualified neighbors willing to step up and run campaigns which are expensive and demand much time, effort and sacrifice. To all those who ran giving us a greater option, thank you. And to those who voted, thank you. The reorganization of our city council will take place on Tuesday December 3 and is open to the public. Location and time pending at this time.
Low Voter Turn Out- Apathy Wins Overall
Government statistics from 2009 show South City to have 27,764 registered voters with over 50% registered as Democrats and 14.25 Republicans. Over 24% declined to state while less than 1% were identified as Libertarians or Green Party. Shamefully our city follows the nationwide trend of apathy when it comes to our voting record with less than 20% of our registered voters bothering to exercise their right, and responsibility to vote. It is also a great disappointment to those who have run campaigns, knocking on doors and speaking at events, working to engage neighbors in the democratic process, only to see so many remain mute.
Current census show there are over 63,000 residents in our city with more than 50,000 over the age of 18. From that less than 30,000 are registered voters, with less than 5,000 voting in this past election.
While we wholeheartedly congratulate and thank our newly (re)elected councilmembers, clerk and treasurer, and those who ran, we have to ask – Why aren’t people voting?