City votes to cancel election, install unopposed candidates

Jeremy Smith

With no opposition to the three incumbent candidates who filed for re-election, the City of Canyon Lake City Council voted unanimously last week to cancel the November election and to install the three to new terms.

In a specially-called meeting last Thursday that lasted less than five minutes, the city council voted new terms for Jeremy Smith, Kasey Castillo and Jennifer Dain. It was the only item on the agenda.

The three incumbent city council members whose terms were to expire in November, were not being opposed for re-election. No other candidates had applied for the Nov. 8 city council election.

With the three being the only candidates for the three seats, the City Council had two options to choose according to the California Election Code: Cancel the election and appoint the three to the three seats, or go ahead and hold the election with the three being the only names on the ballot.

Kasey Castillo

It is estimated that the city saved between $20,000 and $30,000 by canceling the election, according to City Clerk Ana Sauceda.

The three councilmembers were quickly appointed to the council will continue to serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office. The three seats include two that will be four-year terms and one that will be a two-year term.

The odd two-year term is the result of Jennifer being appointed to the City Council last year to fill the seat of Jordan Ehrenkranz, who passed away while in office. Jennifer will serve the two-year term and she will be up for election again in 2024 to keep the term in its regular four-year cycle, Ana said. Jeremy and Kasey, she said, will serve the two four-year terms.

Jennifer Dain

The new city council will vote among themselves to name the mayor and mayor pro-tem in December. Jeremy is the current mayor. Kasey and Jennifer currently serve as councilmembers on the City Council, with Kasey having served as mayor the year prior to Jeremy’s current stint as mayor.