Under California law, the deadline for filing for most offices was this past Friday, August 12.  However, in races where there is an eligible incumbent who chose not to file for re-election, non-incumbents received an extra five days to file. Consequently, the deadline for non-incumbents to file has been extended until 5:00 PM on Wednesday, August 17 for 20 races for college board, school board, and special districts. None of these require nomination signatures, so a prospective candidate could literally pull and file papers in the final minutes before 5:00 PM on August 17.

Three of these contests actually have more seats than candidates.  In other words, there aren’t enough candidates for these races, so anyone who files will go unopposed, but at this point, if no one else files, these three districts will have vacancies:

• Capistrano Bay Community Services District
• Three Arch Bay Community Services District
• Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District

There’s an additional five contests where the number of seats equal the number of candidates.  In other words, if no one else files, all of these candidates will be elected unopposed:

• North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 7
• Capistrano Unified School District, Trustee Area 3
• Ocean View School District
• Emerald Bay Service District
• Yorba Linda Water District

Looking at the list below, some of you may be wondering why Rancho Santiago Community College District, Trustee Area 1 is not listed.  In that case, incumbent Jose Solorio (D) actually resigned from the seat, so there is no incumbent.  When there’s no incumbent at all, there’s no extension.

For those of you who are curious

Here’s the complete run-down on the 20 contests where filing has been extended to 5:00 PM on August 17 because at least one incumbent failed to file, giving non-incumbents an extra five days to file:

• North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 2
  • Incumbent Leonard Lahtinen (D) did not file for re-election, opting instead to run for Anaheim City Council.  Three candidates have pulled and filed papers to replace him so far:
    • Centralia School District Trustee Art Montez (D), who was on the Centralia Board from 1998-2010, when he was defeated for re-election, lost a 2012 bid to return to the Board, and then finally returned to the Centralia Board in the 2014 election, but he’s already looking for another office just two years later
    • College Educator Ed Lopez (?)
    • Businesswoman/Student Ann-Marie Stinson (D)
• North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 7
  • Incumbent Tony Ontiveros (R), the only Republican on the North Orange County Community College District Board, did not file for re-election.  Only one candidate has pulled papers to replace him:
    • Attorney Barry Wishart (D), who served on the North Orange County Community College District Board from 1985 until his resignation in December 2001, three years into his fourth term
• Capistrano Unified School District, Trustee Area 3
  • Incumbent John Alpay (R) did not file for re-election, opting instead to run for South Orange County Community College District.  Only one candidate has pulled papers to replace him:
    • Public Information Officer Laura Ferguson (R), who is the PIO for the City of San Clemente
• Irvine Unified School District
  • There are three incumbents up for re-election: Paul Bokota (D), Lauren Brooks (R), and Michael Parham (R).  Bokota and Brooks filed for re-election, but Parham did not.  In addition to Bokota and Brooks, four other candidates have pulled and filed papers:
    • Irvine Businesswoman/Parent Betty Carroll (NPP)
    • Army Captain/Parent Mark Newgent (?)
    • Irvine Businesswoman/Parent Naz Hamid (D)
    • Attorney Geri Zollinger (D)
• Laguna Beach Unified School District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: William Landsiedel (R) and Jan Vickers (D).  Vickers filed for re-election, but Landsiedel did not.  In addition to Vickers, two other candidates have pulled and filed papers:
    • Constitutional Lawyer/Author Howard Hills (R)
    • Community Volunteer Peggy Wolff (D)
• Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 6
  • Incumbent Mark Wayland (R) did not file for re-election.  Three candidates have pulled papers to replace him:
    • Child Care Supervisor Nicole Baitx-Kennedy (NPP), the only one who has filed papers so far
    • Realtor Jeremy Wayland (R), the retiring incumbent’s son
    • Danielle Jacobs (R), who is director of operations for Sheldon Development, LLC, run by Orange County Water District Director Steve Sheldon (R)
• Saddleback Valley Unified School District
  • There are three incumbents up for re-election: Ginny Fay Aitkens (D), Amanda Morrell (R), and Suzie Swartz (R).  Morrell and Swartz filed for re-election, but Aitkens did not.  In addition to Morrell and Swartz, five other candidates have pulled papers:
    • Retired Educator Edward Wong (NPP)
    • Teacher Bill Yarrington (R)
    • Water Agency Manager Mark Tettemer (R), a former Lake Forest City Councilman who retired in 2012 after two terms to pursue a Master of Public Administration
    • School Maintenance Specialist David Johnson (?)
    • Businessman Theo Hunt (D)
• Santa Ana Unified School District
  • There are three incumbents up for re-election: Jose Hernandez (NPP), Cecilia Iglesias (R), and Rob Richardson (R).  Iglesias filed for re-election, but Hernandez and Richardson did not.  In addition to Iglesias, seven other candidates have pulled papers:
    • Recreation Program Coordinator Gloria Alvarado (D)
    • Attorney/Santa Ana Commissioner Bruce Bauer (D)
    • Teacher/Parent Rigo Rodriguez (?)
    • Supervising Social Worker Alfonso Alvarez (D)
    • Congressional Liaison/Parent Bea Mendoza (D), who works for Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D)
    • Educator/Santa Ana Commissioner Mark McLoughlin (NPP), a former Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee
    • Santa Ana Businesswoman/Economist Angie Cano (R)
• Huntington Beach City School District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: Bridget Kaub (R) and Brian Rechsteiner (R). Kaub filed for re-election, but Rechsteiner did not.  In addition to Kaub, three other candidates have pulled papers:
    • Retired Elementary Principal Ann Sullivan (AI)
    • Rob Fishel (NPP)
    • Elementary Teacher/Parent Karrie Burroughs (R)
• Ocean View School District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: Gina Clayton-Tarvin (D) and Debbie Cotton (R). Clayton-Tarvin filed for re-election, but Cotton did not.  In addition to Clayton-Tarvin, only one other candidate has pulled and filed papers:
    • Social Worker Amalia Lam (D)
• Westminster School District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: Jamison Power (D) and Amy Walsh (R). Power filed for re-election, but Walsh did not.  In addition to Power, two other candidates have pulled and filed papers:
    • Attorney/Business Owner Karl Truong (?)
    • Educator/Entrepreneur Frances Nguyen (R), a former President of the Westminster Chamber of Commerce
• Capistrano Bay Community Services District
  • No one has pulled papers for these two seats!  There are two incumbents up for re-election: Ambrose Mastro (R) and Stephen Muller (R), the two Republicans on a board with one Democrat and two NPPs.  Neither Mastro nor Muller filed for re-election.
  • At this point, anyone who pulls and files papers will walk into elected office unopposed.  If fewer than two people file for these two seats, the Orange County Board of Supervisors will appoint people to fill the vacancies.
• Emerald Bay Service District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: William Hart (R) and John Marconi (R). Marconi filed for re-election, but Hart did not.  In addition to Marconi, only one other candidate has pulled and filed papers:
    • Real Estate Investor Phil De Carion (NPP)
• Surfside Colony Community Services District
  • Incumbent Michael Farrell (NPP) did not file for re-election.  Two candidates have pulled and filed papers to replace him so far:
    • Retired Business Owner Rudy LaLonde (R)
    • Linda Garofalo (NPP), ex-wife of former Huntington Beach Mayor Dave Garofalo (R)
• Three Arch Bay Community Services District
  • No one has pulled papers for the third seat!  There are three incumbents up for re-election: Alan Anderson (R), Elizabeth Gapp (R) and Gary Rubel (R).  While Anderson and Rubel filed for re-election, Gapp did not.  Only Anderson and Rubel have pulled and filed papers.
  • At this point, anyone who pulls and files papers will walk into elected office unopposed.  If a third person does not file for these three seats, the Orange County Board of Supervisors will appoint someone to fill the vacancy.
• Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: John Olson (D) and Chay Peterson (NPP). Neither Olson nor Peterson filed for re-election.  Four candidates have pulled and filed papers:
    • IT Consultant Steven Duff (D)
    • Retired Educator Tara Saraye (D)
    • Realtor/Artist/Parent Heidi Murphy-Grande (?)
    • Dion Sorrell (D)
• Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District
  • No one has pulled papers for the second seat!  There are two incumbents up for re-election: John Cahoon (L) and Stephen Rowe (D).  While Rowe filed for re-election, Cahooon did not.  Only Rowe has pulled and filed papers.
  • At this point, anyone who pulls and files papers will walk into elected office unopposed.  If a second person does not file for these two seats, the Orange County Board of Supervisors will appoint someone to fill the vacancy.
• South Coast Water District
  • There are three incumbents up for re-election: Dick Dietmeier (NPP), Rick Erkeneff (R), and Wayne Rayfield (D).  Erkeneff and Rayfield filed for re-election, but Dietmeier did not.  In addition to Erkeneff and Rayfield, four other candidates have pulled papers:
    • Retired Business Owner Bob Moore (R), a former South Coast Water District Director who lost a 2014 re-election bid after foolishly using a non-incumbent ballot designation
    • Retired Project Manager Bob Oakley (R)
    • Civil Engineer Douglas Erdman (NPP), who appears to be the son of South Coast Water District Director Dennis Erdman (R)
    • Former South Coast Water District Director Richard Gardner (D), who lost a 2012 re-election bid seeks a return to his old seat after losing a 2014 bid to reclaim a seat on this board (or he might not seek a return since he has also pulled papers for Municipal Water District of Orange County, Division 7)
• Yorba Linda Water District
  • There are two incumbents up for re-election: Michael Beverage (R) and Ric Collett (R).  Collett filed for re-election, but Beverage did not.  In addition to Collett, only one other candidate has pulled and filed papers:
    • Retired Business Advisor Benjamin Franklin Parker (R)
• Municipal Water District of Orange County, Division 7
  • Incumbent Susan Hinman (R) did not file for re-election.  Three candidates have pulled papers to replace her so far:
    • Moulton-Niguel Water District Director Donald Froelich (R)
    • Business Owner/Consultant Evan Chaffee (R)
    • Registered Professional Engineer Raymond Miller (R)
    • Former South Coast Water District Director Richard Gardner (D), who has also pulled papers for South Coast Water District