HOW TO RUN FOR CITY AND TOWN COUNCIL (2024)
HOW TO RUN FOR CITY AND TOWN COUNCIL (2024)
Our guide to the forms required to run for office in Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley
Note: This is an update of an article originally written for the 2022 election and the third installment in a series of a series of articles, “Running for Council,” demystifying the process of running for City Council. Council seats in districts 1 and 2 are up for election in November 2024 with nomination papers due on August 9. Read the first article in the series, a 2022 interview with then Councilmember Steven Bilderain.
Thinking of running for City Council in Twentynine Palms or Town Council in Yucca Valley? Getting ready to knock on doors, hang out at the farmer’s market, speak to service clubs and work on your Facebook page and Instagram account? In addition to the public aspects of campaigning for office, there is a series of documents that all candidates are required to file with the City Clerk. In the interest of encouraging everyday citizens to run for office, we’re offering potential candidates a heads-up on what to expect.
Multiple candidates running for City Council and Town Council are a sign of engaged communities in a vibrant democracy. However, citizen engagement took a back seat in the Morongo Basin in 2022 when in Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley, six incumbents ran for office and five of them ran unopposed. The only incumbent facing opposition lost. Elections are YOUR chance to take an active role in the future of your city and town.
Twentynine Palms
In Twentynine Palms, there are two Council seats on the ballot and two Planning Commission seats appointed after the election. The Council’s position on several issues has evolved since the 2022 election, when new candidate Octavious Scott ousted Mayor Karmolette O’Gilvie in a tight race in District 4. Incumbents Daniel Mintz (District 3) and McArthur Wright (District 5) ran unopposed and were returned to their seats.
The districts up for election in 2024 are 1 and 2. These seats are currently held by Mayor Pro Tem Joel Klink (2) and Mayor Steven Bilderain (1). District boundaries were updated in 2022, so be sure to double check your district. The biggest change is the uniting of the Indian Cove neighborhood in District 1. Indian Cove was divided in half in prior district based elections. We’ve noticed that some State and County systems are using outdated maps. You may want to use this tool to look up your district.
Yucca Valley
In Yucca Valley, there are two Council seats on the ballot and two Planning Commission seats appointed after the election. All Town Council members ran unopposed in 2022. Hopefully 2024 will see democracy at work with competitive races in Yucca in 2024.
The districts up for election in 2024 in Yucca Valley are 2 and 4. These seats are currently held by Mayor Robert Lombardo (4) and Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Drozd (2). District boundaries were updated in 2022. You may want to use this tool to look up your district.
Forms and Dates
Keep in mind that this is a general guide only. We highly recommend contacting the your City or Town Clerk for an appointment if you are planning to run. The Clerk will provide you with the documents for 2024 and make the time to review the requirements with you.
Twentynine Palms: Cindy Villescas, (760) 367-6799, cvillescas@29palms.org
Yucca Valley: Lesley Copeland, (760) 369-7209, townclerk@yucca-valley.org
Basics to know before you run:
Your first question might be “Who’s eligible?” To run for Council you must meet the following requirements:
Citizen of the United States
Registered voter and resident of Twentynine Palms
18 years or older
Resident of the district in which you plan to run
In Twentynine Palms, City Council members are paid $465 per month — in Yucca they are paid $610 monthly, which increases to $950 in 2025. Council members also have the option of participating in the City and Town benefit packages. Regular meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month in Twentynine Palms; in Yucca the Town Council meeting is on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Additional meetings may be held as needed. The term of office for both Councils is four years.
Required Candidacy Materials
Declaration of Candidacy
The required form on which the candidate declares what office they are running for, how their name appears on the ballot, and whether or not they want a short three-word description to follow their name.
Nomination Papers
The first date to “pull papers” is Monday, July 15. Nomination papers with signatures are due on Friday, August 9.Candidates need to collect at least 20 to 30 signatures of registered voters residing in the district in which they are running to support their candidacy. These signatures must be collected using forms supplied to the candidate by the City or Town Clerk. Once turned in, the signatures are compared with voter registration lists to determine validity. It is likely that some of the collected signatures will be deemed invalid. Some people think they’ve registered to vote, but haven’t, others have moved and failed to update their address, and in some cases, signatures simply don’t match. Therefore, it’s always best to collect more than the minimum number of signatures required.
Candidate Intention Statement (Form 501, Fair Political Practices Commission, FPPC)
Outlines rules for soliciting and receiving donations and for expending personal funds in support of your candidacy. Required to be filed prior to soliciting any contributions or spending any funds.
Statement of Economic Interest (FPPC Form 700)
Generally, candidates are required to declare investments, interests in real property, and business positions held on the date of filing the declaration of candidacy. In addition, certain types of income received in the year prior to filing the declaration of candidacy must be reported. This declaration of personal financial interests is necessary to ensure candidates are acting in the public’s interest and not their own. Going through this process also serves as a reminder of potential conflicts of interest. The City or Town Clerk will review the exact reporting requirements with you.
Candidate Statement Form and Candidate Statement
This is the written statement supplied by the candidate that is printed in the Voter Information Guide and the form that accompanies it. Candidate statements for local office are 200 words or fewer and must follow strict content guidelines. Statements are limited to the candidate’s own background, qualifications, and platform. The candidate is prohibited from mentioning other candidates in their statement. Candidates are required to cover the costs of printing and translating their statement, usually around $150. Candidate statements are optional.
Overall, City and Town Council candidates can expect to pay approximately $200 to $400 in filing fees and associated costs. This is in addition to expenditures on materials promoting their candidacy.
If you do decide to run, be sure to contact editor@deserttrumpet.org so we can interview you and include you in our September 14 candidate forum!
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