No Contest
Candidates aren’t interested in obscure jobs
By Howard Schmidt
November 2022
Rich Desmond faced a competitive campaign in 2020 to represent the suburban unincorporated area on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. He won.
Responsibility for essentials such as schools, parks, water, electricity, fire protection and flood control falls to elected officials from special districts. Many of these posts are up for election this November. But voters won’t see many names on the ballot.
There’s no interest—and no competition.
The Arden Park Recreation and Park District has five members on its board of directors. All incumbents are up for election. Each is running. But don’t look for them on your ballot. All are unopposed. They win automatically.
The Arden Manor Recreation and Park District faces a slightly different situation. Three director jobs are up but only one incumbent filed, Warren Harding. He’s a former unsuccessful candidate for county supervisor.
Harding lost twice to Susan Peters. But he automatically retains his park district post due to lack of competition. Jeremy Cullifer, another candidate, will join him. The final seat will be filled by appointment.
Four positions are up for the Del Paso Water District. Only four candidates filed—all guaranteed winners.
Three director positions are open in the Carmichael Water District, with two incumbents unopposed and one facing a challenge. Similar circumstances exist in the Sacramento Suburban Water District, where three out of four incumbents are unchallenged.
Only one incumbent on the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Board of Directors has a challenger. The other incumbents are unopposed. The open seat for District 7 that covers parts of Arden Arcade and Carmichael had only one candidate file, assuring victory to fire union leader Brian Rice.
SMUD is governed by a board of directors elected by wards, which sound more like Chicago than Sacramento. Ward 7 includes parts of Carmichael and is represented by Heidi Sanborn. She’s unopposed, so her name’s not on the ballot.
SMUD board member Gregg Fishman isn’t so lucky. He’s challenged by Pamela Stathos in Ward 3, which includes parts of Arden Arcade.
Fishman tried to climb the political ladder in 2020, but lost the county supervisor race to Desmond. Stathos ran unsuccessfully for a director’s seat at the Fulton-El Camino Park and Recreation District. This year, the district has two board seats open, but no one wants to challenge the incumbents.
School board elections generate higher interest among voters, especially among parents worried about school closures, critical race theory and other culture-war topics. This month’s trustee election for the San Juan Unified School District has generated competition for five seats.
Among the incumbents under challenge is Area 3 Trustee Zima Creason, who represents parts of Carmichael and Arden Arcade, including Sierra Oaks and Arden Park. She’s opposed by Alex Zamansky.
Creason gained notoriety when Capital Public Radio described her as a member of the “Sacramento Squad,” a local version of progressive members of Congress.
Another San Juan trustee, Paula Villescaz, seeks higher office as Democrat nominee for state Senate District 6. She’s competing against Roger Niello, a former Republican member of the state Assembly and county supervisors.
Another local “Squad” member is Tamika L’Ecluse, an elected trustee of the American River Flood Control Board. She’s not up for reelection, but three other spots are open. Only three candidates filed, meaning they all won.
Does the lack of competition among elected offices mean suburban voters are complacent or satisfied with the status quo?
Whatever the answer, it saves on ballot printing costs.
Howard Schmidt worked on federal, state and local levels of government, including 16 years for Sacramento County. He can be reached at howardschmidt218@aol.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
