Do you want to play a role in the future of the city of Richmond or its schools or water management? Starting today you can apply to serve your community by running for a seat on one of these governing boards in the November election.
The nomination period opens today and lasts through Aug. 9. If an incumbent does not file to keep their seat, the deadline will be extended to 5 p.m. Aug. 14, according to the Contra Costa County Clerk’s Office.
Are you qualified to run for office?
Richmond residents interested in being elected to a city or county office must meet the following general qualifications:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Be age 18 by Election Day.
- Be eligible to take the Oath of Office.
- Live in the district or area for which they are running.
- Be a registered voter at the time the Declaration of Candidacy is issued.
- Not have been convicted of a felony involving accepting or giving, or offering to give, any bribe, or the embezzlement of public money, extortion or theft of public money, perjury, or conspiracy to commit any of those crimes.
Which elected bodies have open seats?
Richmond City Council
A Richmond resident who wishes to run for city council must be a registered voter in the district they’re running for or otherwise be qualified to vote for that office at the time the nomination papers are issued.
To start the process, book an appointment with the city clerk’s office by emailing cityclerkdept@ci.richmond.ca.us or by calling (510) 620-6513.
Richmond residents: What are the issues you care about most?
As Richmondside plans its election coverage we want to hear from you. What issues do you care about the most when it comes to your local schools and city government? Let us know what we should ask the candidates. Email hello@richmondside.org or send us a text.
Council seats require a minimum of 20 and no more than 30 signatures of registered voters residing in the district. For information on fees, deadlines, signature minimums, and more you can check out the Richmond General Municipal Election Guide on the city website. For more information on how the council operates, read Richmondside’s quick guide.
The following Richmond City Council district seats are up for election. If you’re not sure which district you live in, use this city map to locate your neighborhood.
District 1: Incumbent Melvin Willis is seeking re-election. So far he has two challengers, local educator Jamelia Brown and Mark Wassberg, a local fixture at City Council meetings.
District 5: Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin has announced she will not seek re-election. So far two other candidates have announced they are running for her seat: Ahmad Anderson, a local business person, and Sue Wilson, a union organizer.
Daniel Heiss, a Richmond Annex resident, had previously announced his candidacy for District 5 but dropped out of the race earlier this month.
District 6: Incumbent Claudia Jimenez is seeking re-election. She currently has one challenger, Shawn Dunning, a local community organizer.
Contra Costa County offices up for election in November
Candidates interested in running for a Contra Costa County office must submit a Candidate Application Packet to the Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder. It must include the following:
- Declaration of Candidacy
- Ballot Designation Worksheet
- Candidate Statement of Qualifications
- Statement of Economic Interests
- Campaign Finance Disclosure
- Code of Fair Campaign Practices
For a more in-depth description of these requirements, check out the Contra Costa County General Election Candidate Guide. You can also visit the Contra Costa County Election Office, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 555 Escobar St. or visit their website contracostavote.gov/elections.
West Contra Costa Unified School District board
There are currently three board positions up for election at WCCUSD in areas 1, 2, and 3. The district is under pressure at the moment, after its current board failed to adopt a budget on time for the 2024-25 school year, and those concerned are encouraging citizens to run for the board. (Read more about the budget issue here.)
You can find a detailed map of the areas board members represent on the district’s site. The maps are not defined by cities, but by geographical regions. (The map was last drawn in 2022.) For a closer look at who’s on the board and how it operates, you can read our guide to the school board.
Here are areas with open seats:
Area 1: Schools within this area include Pinole Valley High, Pinole Middle School, Montalvin Elementary and Hercules High. School board member and board President Jamela Smith-Folds will be running for re-election, according to her LinkedIn page.
Area 2: Schools within this area include Michelle Obama Elementary, Kennedy High, King Elementary, Greenwood Academy, and Verde Elementary. Otheree Christian is the incumbent, and he announced on his Facebook page in January that he will be running.
Area 3: Schools within this area include Chavez Elementary, Middle College High, Bayview Elementary, and Dover Elementary.
West County Wastewater
West County Wastewater, which serves the majority of the city of Richmond, will have two seats open during the 2024 general election. These seats will be voted on by residents who live within the boundaries of those wastewater zones. The district works to protect public health by safely and responsibly collecting, treating and disposing of wastewater.
District 2 covers the majority of the North Richmond area, and District 4 covers most of El Sobrante.
