LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Another local attorney has joined the race to succeed a Lake County Superior Court judge who isn’t seeking reelection, while so far no new candidates have joined the other county races.
Late last year, Judge Stephen Hedstrom said he wouldn’t seek a fourth term, which opened up the race for his Department 4 seat.
Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez said that attorney Andre Ross has filed a declaration of intention – an extra step required in judicial races – and paid the filing fee to run for Hedstrom’s seat, and also has taken out nomination papers. He must also file a Form 501 with the state in order to raise funds.
Ross made an unsuccessful bid for district attorney in 2014.
He now joins a field in the race for judge that includes District Attorney Don Anderson and Deputy County Counsel Shanda Harry, Valadez said.
Valadez said the judicial candidates must all submit a declaration of candidacy by March 14 to be on the ballot.
In other races, incumbents Judge Andrew Blum, Judge Michael Lunas and Sheriff Brian Martin have all submitted their declarations of candidacy and fulfilled their signature requirements, and are now official candidates, Valadez said.
Bruno Sabatier, Clearlake’s mayor and so far the only candidate to succeed District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith, also has submitted the needed signatures and declaration of candidacy and is a confirmed candidate, according to Valadez.
In addition to Martin, four other elected county officials have taken out the Form 501 paperwork with no challengers yet appearing in their races, but still have paperwork pending before their candidacy is official, Valadez said.
They include Assessor-Recorder Richard Ford, County Clerk-Auditor Cathy Saderlund, Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen.
For district attorney, the field includes local attorney Steven Brown and Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones.
In the District 3 supervisorial race, Valadez said three candidates so far have filed the form 501 paperwork: incumbent Jim Steele; Eddie J. Crandell, the tribal chair of Robinson Rancheria and the District 3 county planning commissioner; and businesswoman and former Clearlake Mayor Denise Loustalot.
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Election 2018: New candidate joins judicial race
- Elizabeth Larson
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