Updated July 27, 6:01 p.m.–
Sentinel staff report–
As of Friday, there are now a total of nine residents who have taken the first step towards running for three city council seats up for election this year.
Latest names to pull papers for council are David Warren, Treston Shull, and Anthony Gutierrez — in addition to six others last week.
Shull currently serves as an at-large director on the governing board for the Residents’ Empowerment Association of Citrus Heights. According to his professional profile posted online, he also serves as treasurer for the Birdcage Heights Neighborhood Association and works as a labor relations representative for the Laborers Union. In 2014, he was one of four residents who applied for a vacant position on the Citrus Heights Water District governing board, but was not appointed.
Warren is a regular attendee and speaker at city council meetings and also serves as a legislative advocate at the State Capitol with Taxpayers for Improving Public Safety. He has regularly taken public positions on controversial topics, including writing in favor of raising local taxes to pay for road repairs, criticizing the city council for censuring Councilman Bret Daniels, and arguing in favor of Proposition 47, a statewide initiative that reduced some felony offenses to misdemeanors in 2014.
Background information about the other candidate who pulled papers, Anthony Gutierrez, is not known, as is also the case with two other residents who pulled papers last week. More information about each candidate is typically available once election papers are submitted and are available for public review. The deadline to file necessary paperwork is Aug. 10.
As reported last week, six others have also pulled papers, including all three current council members whose seats are up for election: Mayor Steve Miller, Vice Mayor Jeannie Bruins, and Councilman Al Fox, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy left by the late Councilman Mel Turner. Planning Commissioner Porsche Middleton also pulled papers, as well as residents David Huber and William Crofton.
Related: How much do Citrus Heights council members actually get paid?
After pulling papers, those seeking to qualify for the ballot still have to collect a minimum of 20 valid signatures from registered voters and pay a $25 fee upon filing the signatures with the city clerk’s office. The clerk also checks to ensure candidates are at least 18 years old, are U.S. citizens registered to vote, and are residents of Citrus Heights.
While the $25 fee is the only cost required to run, candidates can also opt to pay $650 to include a 200-word candidate statement in the November election sample ballot, which is direct-mailed to each voter. As of July 3, the city clerk’s office reports there are 43,747 registered voters in the city.
Related: Bret Daniels’ election to city council called ‘a shocker’ by Citrus Heights leaders
In the past, winning candidates for city council have typically raised over $10,000 — although Bret Daniels’ election in 2016 was considered “a shocker” by many, including himself, when he pulled off an election win while raising just $3,100. He was outspent by two other candidates who lost, despite their raising more than three times as much as Daniels.
The top three vote-getters on Nov. 6 will be seated at the city council’s first meeting in December.
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