Early victories for Belvedere, Reed candidates

Belvedere City Councilmember Sally Wilkinson and two planning commissioners, Kevin Burke and Pat Carapiet, have won the three four-year seats up for election on the Nov. 5 ballot, as no challengers stepped up to make it a contest.

Read complete local election coverage at thearknewspaper.com/election2024

They’re among several incumbents and newcomers to cruise to victory as the local filing period formally closed Aug. 14, the extended deadline for newcomers if an incumbent in a race didn’t file by Aug. 9.

Other winners include incumbent Liz Webb and newcomer Sandeep Sahai of Tiburon for the Reed Union School District board after incumbent Jacqueline Jaffee didn’t seek reelection.

On the Strawberry Recreation District board, incumbents Cale Nichols and Christian Michael have won the two four-year seats, while newcomer Sarah Waterfield has won the single two-year seat, after incumbent Pam Bohner did not seek reelection.

In Belvedere, Burke and Carapiet will take over for incumbents Nancy Kemnitzer, who stepped down by tradition after her second term, and single-term Councilmember Jim Lynch, who didn’t seek reelection. They’ll take their new seats in December and will ultimately help appoint their own replacements on the Planning Commission, as the move to the council will create two vacancies there.

However, newcomers have flooded the field in the race for two four-year seats on the Tamalpais Union High School board, which has faced financial strains in recent years, including the defeat of a $517-million bond measure for facilities upgrades in March. The board has put a trimmer version, at $289 million, back on the ballot as Measure B. Incumbents Leslie Harlander and Karen Loebbaka did not seek reelection.

On the ballot will be Aniruddho “Ray” Chaudhuri, Jennifer Holden, Amos Klausner, Nicholas Ondrejka and Ida Times-Green.

Several other races closed Aug. 9 because all incumbents filed.

Other races on the ballot

• Tiburon Town Council: Incumbents Isaac Nikfar and Holli Thier face newcomers Chuck Hornbrook of the Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission and Andrew Thompson, a former councilmember and mayor, in a four-way race for two four-year seats.

• Southern Marin Fire Protection District board: Incumbents Cathryn Hilliard, Ashley Raveche and Clifford Waldeck face newcomer Rich Riechel in a four-way race for three seats.

• Marin Municipal Water District, Division 5: Incumbent Larry Russell of Tiburon face newcomers Dave Keatley and Dawn Matheson, both of Larkspur, in a three-way race for a single four-year seat.

Other decided races, not on the ballot

• Mill Valley School District board: Incumbents Michele Crncich Hodge and Elli Abdoli have won their two four-year seats unchallenged.

• Tiburon Fire Protection District board: Incumbents Mark Capell and Brett Tucker have won the two four-year seats, while incumbent Joy Ho has won the single two-year seat.

• Richardson Bay Sanitary District Board: Incumbents Mark Slater and Jeff Slavitz have won their two four-year seats unchallenged.

• Sanitary District No. 5 of Marin board: Incumbents Omar Arias-Montez, John Carapiet and Richard Snyder have won their three four-year seats unchallenged.

• Marin Healthcare District board, Division 2: Incumbent Ann Sparkman has won a new four-year seat on the board.

Reach Executive Editor Kevin Hessel at 415-435-2652. Support local journalism by SUBSCRIBING NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

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