SUNNYVALE Candidates Qualify; Measures Named

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The seven candidates who filed nomination papers to run for Sunnyvale City Council seats have all been qualified by the County Registrar of Voters, assuring their names will appear on the November 8 ballot.

Each candidate’s filing must include a minimum of 20 signatures from currently- registered voters residing in Sunnyvale. These signatures form the actual nomination of the candidate. Once the County Registrar verifies there are 20 valid signatures on the nominating papers, the candidate is considered qualified.

The candidates who qualified and will appear on the November 8 ballot are:

Tim Risch and Anthony Spitaleri have filed for seat 1; Darab E. Ghaffary, Christopher Moylan and Pete Richards have filed for seat 2; and Incumbent John Howe and Nancy Smith have filed for seat 3.

When filing for candidacy, applicants must specify for which of the seven seats they are running. Currently, seats 1 and 2 are open due to incumbents in these seats reaching their term limits; the first term for seat 3 is expiring, allowing candidates to run for this seat. While Sunnyvale City Council members are elected to specific seats, they serve at large, representing the entire City. Candidates are elected to four-year terms and may then run for one additional four-year term.

Sunnyvale voters will also have the opportunity to vote on five local issues, which include increases in the City’s business license tax and transient occupancy tax, (frequently called the “hotel tax”). In addition, there are three proposed amendments to the Sunnyvale City Charter which will be presented to voters.

The County Registrar of Voters has now assigned each of these issues ballot measure names. They are:

Measure D – The measure related to increasing the Business License Tax ;

Measure E – The measure related to increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax;

Measure F – The proposed Charter amendment related to standardizing term limits for boards and commissions;

Measure G – The proposed Charter amendment related to the elimination of the city manager’s residency requirement; and

Measure H – The proposed Charter amendment related to the Sunnyvale Heritage Preservation Commission.