SANTA ANA (CNS) - The Orange County Board of Supervisors today set March 12 for the date of the special election to fill the seat of Todd Spitzer, who resigned to become the county's new district attorney.
Candidates may begin filing for office Wednesday morning, Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said. The deadline for filing is Jan. 28. County officials expect the election results could be certified by March 26, the day a new supervisor could take the post to finish Spitzer's term in 2020. The board also chose Supervisor Lisa Bartlett to chair the board for 2019 with Supervisor Michelle Steel as vice-chair.
Before the meeting, Supervisor Doug Chaffee was sworn in as well as Steel and Bartlett. Irvine Mayor Don Wagner and former Rep. Loretta Sanchez confirmed Tuesday that they are running to succeed Spitzer as the Third District supervisor for the area that stretches from Yorba Linda to Rancho Santa Margarita and includes portions of Orange, Tustin and Irvine.
``My plan is to run and win,'' Wagner said.
``I almost certainly will pull papers this week.''Sanchez said she is ``definitely in.''Former Anaheim City Councilwoman Kris Murray has also been campaigning.
Former Irvine City Councilwoman Beth Krom was weighing a run, but has dropped out. Andy Thorburn, who failed in a bid for Congress last year, was also thought to be ramping up a bid for the seat, but said he has since dropped out.
Wagner said he will focus on fiscal issues and cited his experience as an Assemblyman. He also said he wants to focus on issues related to the homeless. Sanchez said homelessness would also be a part of her platform, as well as issues related to fire suppression. Sanchez said her experience as a congresswoman would help her gain more federal funding for the county.
``I have a lot of friends in Sacramento and DC who can help us, and I have an ability to bring funds,'' Sanchez said.