Election Section
New Candidates Collecting Signatures for Local Elections
Three candidates for local offices added their names on Friday to the list of those collecting signatures for Berkeley elections on Nov. 4: Beatriz Levya-Cutler for school board and Robert J. Evans and Eleanor Walden for Rent Stabilization Board.
Each valid signature collected is worth $1 toward the $150 charged candidates who run for office in Berkeley.
School board
Beatriz Levya-Cutler is collecting signatures to run for school board. She is the executive director of BAHIA, Inc., described on its website as a full-time private, non-profit, bilingual (Spanish-English) program in Berkeley, addressing the city’s needs by providing a bilingual, culturally diverse child care center for lower-income, working families and student parents.
John Selawsky, school board president, is also collecting signatures to run for a new term on the school board.
Rent board
Robert J. Evans is collecting signatures to run for Rent Stabilization Board commissioner. Evans served a four-year rent board term beginning in 2002 but did not run for a second term in 2006. Rent board commissioners serve a maximum of two terms. Evans was described in his 2002 campaign statement as a housing rights attorney.
Incumbent Rent Board member Eleanor Walden has also taken out papers to collect signatures to run for a second term on the board, as has Rent Board Chair Jesse Arreguin. Nicole Drake, aide to Councilmember Linda Maio, is also collecting signatures to run for the board.
City Council
Among those who have taken out signature-in-lieu papers to run for the Berkeley City Council are incumbent councilmembers Darryl Moore, District 2; Max Anderson, District 3; and Laurie Capitelli, District 5. SusanWengraf, aide to retiring District 6 Councilmember Betty Olds and her appointee to the Planning Commission, has taken out papers for District 6
Mayor
No one has taken out papers for the mayor's race, although Zachary Runningwolf, who ran against Mayor Tom Bates in 2006 and is active in the Save the Oaks campaign, has declared himself a candidate.
