DIXON, CA (MPG) - Campaign season officially opened on Monday in the City of Dixon for the General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, for two District Representatives on Council, the Elected City Clerk, and on a one-cent sales tax increase.

No doubt voters will be confused with the change in Districts they are voting in as the Council adopted Map 104 at their April 5, 2022 meeting which flips district representation of Councilmen Scott Pederson and Jim Ernest effective November.

Up until the election, Pederson continues to represent Council District 1 but after the election, that area will be District 2. Likewise, the current District 2 representative held by Ernest will become District 1. Candidates running for City Council must also reside within the District for which they are running. A candidate must also include nomination papers showing a minimum of 20 signatures from friends, neighbors, etc., vouching he or she is a worthy citizen to run for office.

Pederson will be seeking re-election but will be challenged by former Mayor Thom Bogue who announced his campaign a few days ago.

“We as a community are facing difficult times both personally and as a city,” Bogue said. “With the increasing cost of living, cost of basic goods, fuel, rent, groceries, etc., it is going to take leadership tempered with compassion to see us as a community through these troubling times. I have proven as a former councilman and mayor that I possess the experience, leadership, values and compassion for the people of our community.”

Ernest has not announced whether or not he will seek office. Council positions carry a $400 stipend and offer health insurance.

The Elected City Clerk position that is open for a full 4-year term is currently occupied by Kristin Janisch who was elected to the Temporary City Clerk 1-year term last fall in order to get that position onto the 4-year calendar voting cycle this year. There is a $250 stipend for that position. Calls to Janisch about re-election have not yet been returned.

If one is interested in running for any of the three offices, official nomination documents for eligible candidates will be available at City Hall, 600 East A Street in Dixon. The nomination period for these offices closes on August 12, 2022 at 5 p.m. Each term is four years. Candidates must be 18 years old or older, reside and be registered to vote within the City of Dixon. Candidates running for City Council must also reside within the District for which they are running.

Every candidate is given an orientation by the City Clerk along with a binder with complete details of running for office so one does not have to feel overwhelmed in the process. To make sure one lives in an open-seat district, refer to Map 104 on the City of Dixon website.

The City of Dixon charges candidates the following Election Fees: Candidate Filing Fee $25; Candidate Orientation Fee $65; Candidate Binder Fee $65; and an optional Ballot Statement Fee for published written statements in the sample ballot which is mailed to all registered voters in Dixon and have been as high as $400 in years past. To have it provided in Spanish is another available option. Fees are set by Government Code.

The issue of the one-cent sales tax increase will be a future story. According to the U.S. Constitution, Voting Day will be Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Voters qualify for registration by being a U.S. citizen, aged 18 years or older, a resident of Dixon, and neither in prison nor on parole for a felony conviction. Re-registration is required if one has moved since last registered, changed name, or changed political party affiliation. The registration deadline is 15 days before an election. One may register to vote online at the California Secretary of State’s website.