There’s a real horse race shaping up for the city council election Nov. 8. With two available seasts—and neither incumbent in the running—six residents have completed the required filing papers to claim an opening.
All six made the Wednesday, Aug. 17, deadline for entering the race.
The candidates include Clarence Cryer, Karl Kassner, Shae DeVaney, Debra Kwast, Pat Nolan and Jeanette Zamora-Bragg. This could be the first time a woman is selected to serve on the council since Toni Baltierra retired from the board several years ago.
None of the candidates have run before in a council election.
Cryer currently serves on the city’s planning commission, an advisory position he has held for the past two years. He is the chief executive officer for the hospital at California State Prison-Corcoran.
Kassner also has experience in public service, as a member of the Corcoran District Hospital board. He was appointed to that position and served approximately two years before leaving his directorship. Kassner is a fire captain with the Visalia Fire Department.
Kwast recently ran against incumbent Richard Valle for the supervisor position representing District 2 on the Kings County Board of Supervisors. She is a local business owner and longtime community service leader.
Pat Nolan is making her first bid for public office. She is a community volunteer. Zamora-Bragg, a government analyst employed at the prison, is also tossing her hat in the ring for the first time.
The council election is at-large, allowing local residents to choose any two of the six candidates. In upcoming weeks, The Journal will provide more in-depth information regarding each of the city council candidates.
There will be one race in the local school board election. The local school district elections are decided by Area, with residents selecting representatives from geographic districts.
All four incumbents up for re-election filed by the deadline, with three of them unopposed. In Area 2, however, incumbent Mary Wadsworth will be challenged by Sammy Joe Ramirez.
Wadsworth works for the J.G. Boswell Company and has a long list of community service achievements, including being named Corcoran’s woman of the year. Ramirez is a peace officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
