By Pat Doody
staff writer
No contest for council seats
Tehachapi City Council Update
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Pat Doody
From left: Susan Wiggins, Joan Pogon-Cord and Phil Smith.
Three City Council members will be considered re-elected as they were the only ones to file as candidates for their offices before the Aug. 11 election filing deadline. At a City Council meeting held on Aug. 23, City Elections Official Ashley Whitmore explained that election law allows, when there is no opponent for a seat, the city to appoint the candidates to their offices. As they were the only ones to file, Phil Smith will remain the councilman for District 1, as will Joan Pogon-Cord for District 4 and Susan Wiggins for District 5. All three will serve on the City Council for a full four-year term ending in 2026.
As a result of this measure, the city will not need to spend the nearly $30,000 that would be required to print four different city ballots for the November election. In that case, the city would also be responsible for a portion of the postage to mail ballots to residents, as well as the prepaid return postage. Ballots would have been printed for District 1, District 4 and District 5 with only one council candidate each, as well as another to be used in Districts 2 and 3 with no candidate.
The Tehachapi City Council meets on the first and third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. They are currently meeting at the Police Department Community Room, 220 W. C St.
