So six of the hopefuls for the vacant seat on the Santa Barbara City Council have been deemed ineligible. What's the story with that?
At least four of the applicants appear to have been absent from that Civics 101 class. You know, the one where they teach you if you want to hold public office you need to register to vote.
According to voter registration records for the November 2009 City of Santa Barbara election (the City's last municipal election) council applicants Nancy Sirbu, Charles E. Huff, Jerry Matteo, and Audrey Addison Williams, are not listed as being registered.
One of the qualifications to serve on the City Council is to be a registered voter in the City.
In the case of Huff, a retired Navy Commander, his application for the Council seems to indicate that he moved here from Ventura, (where he was evidently stationed immediately before retiring) very recently, like last month. But he does point out, he's been a regular visitor here for the last 20 years.
I guess he would have represented the tourist point of view.
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As for the other two disqualified candidates, Della Rosales and Marilyn Rickard, their problem appears to be with discrepancies in the addresses they list on their applications and those contained in City voting records.
Both list addresses that are different from the ones that appear on that November 2009 voter registration list.
One of the grounds for disqualification is being registered at an address different from the residence listed on the application and, as a result, not a "qualified elector" as required by the City Charter.
In other words while it may be good to be a mover and a shaker, it's not good to literally be a mover. At least not if you don't update your voter registration info when you move.
© 2010 by Craig Smith and www.craigsmithsblog.com
