The filing period for Santa Clarita City residents interested in running in the April 2008 City Council election opens on Monday, December 17, 2007. The filing period closes Friday, January 11, 2008. The election will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

If any incumbent chooses not to file nomination papers by 5 p.m. on Friday, January 11, 2008, the nominating period will be extended to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2008, for candidates other than incumbents.

This election will fill two seats on the City Council for four-year terms presently occupied by incumbents Bob Kellar and Tim Ben Boydston. The new Councilmembers will be sworn into office on April 22, 2008.

Registered voters residing in the City of Santa Clarita may nominate prospective candidates. To be eligible, candidates must be 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the United States, a resident of the City of Santa Clarita and a registered voter at the time nomination papers are issued.

Nomination papers and candidate handbooks are available in the City Clerk’s Office on the third floor of City Hall, located at 23920 Valencia Blvd. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays.

It is strongly suggested that prospective candidates make an appointment with the City Clerk to review the available material. The process to take out or to return materials for candidacy is estimated to take about 45 minutes.

For a fee, candidates may also prepare a statement to be included in the sample ballot materials and mailed to voters, which includes name, age, and occupation, and a brief description of no more than 200 words stating his/her education and qualifications. For printing in English, the fee is estimated at $1,000, plus $250 for the Spanish translation for total deposit of $1250 payable at the time the candidate files the nomination paper.

For more information, please call City Clerk Sharon Dawson at (661) 255-4391.