Bonilla unopposed for Assembly

By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

(Editor’s note: This is the third of a series of stories on the Nov. 6 general election. The previous two examined the 11 propositions before voters this election. This and subsequent stories will look at various political office races.)

SUSAN BONILLA. Courtesy photo

Susan Bonilla, 52, has been the District 11 Assemblymember since her election in November 2010, while Mariko Yamada has been Benicia’s representative in that legislative body since her election in 2008.

But because of redistricting, Benicia has been moved into Assembly District 14, for which Bonilla is seeking election Nov. 6. She has had no opposition either in the June 5 or the Nov. 6 elections.

Bonilla, a Democrat, has been mayor of Concord, a member of that city’s Council, and a Contra Costa County Supervisor. She and her husband, John, have four children.

An educator in her previous career, Bonilla is chairperson of the Assembly Budget Subcommttee on Education Finance, and among her legislation has been that which helps local school district reduce truancy.

She also is chairperson of the Select Committee on High Quality Early Childhood Education and the California Science Engineering, Technology, Math (STEM) taskforce, among other committee positions.

Her other goals in the Legislature are to encourage economic development, create jobs, improve access to health care and rebuild the state’s transportation system.

Her legislative website is http://asmdc.org/members/a11/. Her campaign website is http://susanbonilla.com/.

For Benicians who are choosing to vote by mail, the Solano County Registrar of Voters has placed a secure drop off box to collect ballots at the City Clerk’s office at Benicia City Hall, 250 East L St.

Other boxes have been set up in Solano County’s other cities, City Clerk Lisa Wolfe said.

Voters can drop their ballots off at City Hall until 5 p.m. Nov. 6, she said.

The Registrar of Voters office will be sending staff to Benicia about 11:10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, 25, 29, 30 and 31, and Nov. 1, 5 and 6 to pick up the ballot, Wolfe said. A 5 p.m. pickup also is scheduled for Nov. 6.

“They can get voter registration cards at the City Clerk office as well,” Wolfe said.

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 22. Benicians may do so by using the application printed on the back of sample ballot booklets mailed by the Solano County Registrar of Voters, or through the websites www.sos.ca.gov/elections/vote-by-mail/pdf/fill-in-vote-by-mail-app-instruct.pdf or www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/.Vote by mail ballots are being sent to those requesting them by Oct. 30, using the application printed on the back of sample ballot booklets mailed by the Solano County Registrar of Voters, or through the websites www.sos.ca.gov/elections/vote-by-mail/pdf/fill-in-vote-by-mail-app-instruct.pdf or www.solanocounty.com /depts/rov/.

Registered Benicia voters may cast ballots in person prior to Nov. 6 by visiting the Solano County Registrar of Voters office, 675 Texas St. Suite 2600 in Fairfield.

During election day, those who haven’t mailed in their ballots may drop them off at any polling place within Solano County, including the elections office.

Polls will be open Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 6.

In addition, vote by mail ballots can be dropped off in a locked box at the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, 250 East L St.