Political Runway Stacked with Potential Candidates

PALM SPRINGS —The political runway is getting stacked with residents who say they intend to seek a seat on the five-member City Council during the historic Nov. 5 election. The election marks the first since the City Council voted last year to move from an at-large election to district-based elections.

As of June 4, there are now a dozen residents on the political runway seeking three open seats in Districts 1, 2, and 3, according to the City Clerk’s office.

Incumbent Mayor Pro Tem Geoff Kors now has two challengers on paper.  One is Michael Joseph Dilger, 45, who relocated from Manhattan to Palm Springs in April 2018. In March, he told Uken Report he has no occupation in the desert.

The latest person to file a Candidate Intention Statement to challenge Kors in District 3 is Alan “Alfie” P. Pettit. See his announcement by clicking here.

Five people have filled a Candidate Intention Statement for the lone seat in District 1. The latest person to take a position on the political runway addition is Michael C. Shogren. He did not return a request for comment.

Others vying for the seat are Scott D. Myer; Summer H. Morris; Les Young; and Grace E. Garner. You can learn more about each by clicking on their name except Garner who has not responded to numerous requests for comment.

There are now four potential candidates on the District 2 political runway. The latest is Dennis Woods. He did not return a request for comment.

Others seeking the seat are Adrian M. Alcantar, 36, owner of Adrian Alcantar Hair Studio & Spa; Peter J. Maietta, 51, an interior designer; Carlton (Carl) A. Baker, 57, director of Legal & Legislative Affairs for Desert AIDS Project.

It is still early in the process, which means more residents could add their name to the growing list of possible contenders. The nomination period for the Nov. 5 election is Monday, July 15, 2019 through Monday, Aug. 12, 2019.

The Nov. 5, 2019, election is designed for the purpose of electing three City Councilmembers — one each from Districts 1, 2, and 3. This election will begin the first phase of the city’s transition to district-based elections. The transition will be fully complete following the November 2020 election when City Councilmembers are elected from Districts 4 and 5.

If you or someone you know has an interest in seeking one of the three open seats, here are the candidate qualifications for elected office:

• Be registered to vote at their current residence in the City of Palm Springs.
• Must reside in the district in which they are running.
• Obtain not less than 80 or more than 120 voter signatures on the Nomination Paper.
• A citizen of the United States.
• Not disqualified from holding office by the Constitution or laws of the State of California.

Contact the City Clerk’s Office at (760) 323-8204 to schedule an appointment for the issuance of nomination papers and the candidate manual. Regular business hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Voters in Districts 1, 2, and 3 will be eligible to vote in the November election. The newly drawn district map is available by clicking here.

If you are not yet a registered voter, you may register by clicking here.