Staff Report

By Aug. 13, it appeared the Benicia City Council election would be a three-person race between Planning Commission Chair Kari Birdseye, Economic Development Board Chair Lionel Largaespada and former Councilmember Christina Strawbridge. However, an 11th hour filing by William Emes, Jr. during the nomination period extension has turned it into a four-person race.

Had incumbent councilmembers Mark Hughes and Alan Schwartzman filed by Friday, Aug. 10, no further candidates would have been able to declare after that date. However, neither incumbent opted to run this year, so the nomination period was extended to Wednesday. Emes used this opportunity to pull paperwork on Tuesday and complete it on Wednesday.

Emes is Benicia resident who established a vote drive earlier in 2018 with the goal of getting 100 percent of the voting-age Benicia population vote in the June primary election. He does not have a campaign website set up yet and did not return a request for comment Friday. Keep reading the Herald as more information becomes known.

The council election is Tuesday, Nov. 6. The top two vote-getters will serve on the council, and the candidate who receives the most votes will earn the title of vice mayor.

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