Updated Oct. 8, 5:10 p.m.–
Sentinel staff report–
Beginning Oct. 8, vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to registered voters, and those in Citrus Heights will have a chance to choose from among five candidates vying for three seats on the City Council this year.
Three current council members, including the mayor and vice mayor, are all seeking to hold onto their seats, while two newcomers are seeking to add a fresh voice on the five-member council. Although several fringe candidates during the last City Council election two years ago only managed to pull a few percentage points, each candidate this year boasts strong endorsements from various officials and organizations.
To give candidates an opportunity to introduce themselves to residents and give voters an opportunity to learn more about each candidate’s life and background, The Sentinel gave each candidate the opportunity to submit written answers to a series of seven identical questions.
Candidate answers are linked below and published word-for-word, as long as responses were kept under 100 words. More specific policy questions will be addressed in future articles as part of The Sentinel’s 2018 local election coverage.
Steve Miller, 60, is currently serving a one-year term as the City’s mayor and is running for his fourth term on the City Council, after first being appointed to fill a vacancy in 2005. He has lived in Citrus Heights for 32 years and lists three of his fellow council members among his top endorsements. (Click to read full candidate profile)
Treston Shull, 34, currently serves as treasurer for the Birdcage Heights Neighborhood Association and is seeking to be a new voice on the City Council. He has lived in Citrus Heights for five years and has earned endorsements from Supervisor Sue Frost, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association PAC and the Sacramento County Probation Association. (Click to read full candidate profile)
Porsche Middleton, 34, was appointed to the City’s Planning Commission last year after a prior run for City Council in 2016 and is now seeking another chance to win a seat on the council. She has lived in Citrus Heights for four years and has earned endorsements from the California Apartment Association, Firefighters Local 522 and the Sacramento Association of Realtors. (Click to read full candidate profile)
Jeannie Bruins, 71, is currently serving a one-year term as the City’s vice mayor and is running for her fifth term on the City Council, after being first elected to office in 2002. She has lived in Citrus Heights for 34 years and has been endorsed by Supervisor Sue Frost, former Congressman Doug Ose, and Senator Jim Nielsen. (Click to read full candidate profile)
Al Fox, 73, is currently serving as a council member after being appointed in 2017 to fill a vacancy left by the late Councilman Mel Turner, who died last year. He has lived in Citrus Heights for 18 years and has been endorsed by Supervisor Sue Frost, Sheriff Scott Jones, and Connie Turner, who was the wife of Councilman Turner. (Click to read full candidate profile)
The top three candidates who receive the most votes after the Nov. 6 election will each win four-year terms on the City Council. According to the City Clerk’s Office, Citrus Heights has 43,747 registered voters, as of July 3, 2018.
Beginning this week, vote-by-mail ballots may be placed in a drop box in the lobby of Citrus Heights City Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Citrus Heights City Council Chambers will also open as a Vote Center from Oct. 27 through Nov. 6, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including weekends. On Election Day, Vote Center hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
*Correction: An initial version of this story incorrectly stated Bruins was seeking her fourth term on the City Council. She is seeking her fifth term.
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