Map shows boundaries of voting districts in City of Menifee

This map shows the boundaries of the voting district in the City of Menifee.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

With the local political campaign season now in full swing, our readers sometimes have questions:

When is the election? Who are the candidates? Which City Council district do I live in and who are the candidates I am able to vote for?

Here’s a quick recap of some things you should know to be an informed voter heading into the election for Menifee City Council seats.

The City of Menifee candidates will be listed on the ballot with the national candidates and initiatives for the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Three of the five City Council seats are up for election. First is the mayor, which is an-large position open to any candidate living in any district of the city.

The current mayor, Bill Zimmerman, is termed out this fall. Although he served only six years instead of the eight years that two full terms would normally be, he is not eligible to run again because he was appointed to the remainder of the late Neil Winter’s term in 2018.

There are three candidates for mayor this fall: Lesa Sobek and Ricky Estrada, who are current council members; and Dameon Greene. Sobek is terming out after serving eight years as a council member, but she is eligible to run for mayor because it is voted on as a separate, at-large position. Estrada has two years left on his council member term and would have to be replaced in District 2 if he wins the mayoral seat.

There are two candidates in District 1, which is the northwest portion of the city (see the map above). If you live in that district, you can vote for either the incumbent, Robert Karwin, or Mark Harkay.

There are three candidates in District 3, which is the southeast portion of the city. They are Felix Montano, Gene Recor and Dan Temple.

Voting for council districts is done on a rotating basis. Estrada in District 2 and Dean Deines in District 4 are scheduled to remain in office for two more years, meaning residents in these districts vote only for mayor this year.

Basic information on the candidates can be found in introductory statements they have written that are available on www.menifee247.com. You can find out more about the candidates and their campaign platforms at the Menifee 24/7 Candidates Forum, which will be held Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in the campus theater at Liberty High School.