Former Mayor, Craig Litwin, launching write-in campaign for City Council

[Barry]

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Former (and future?) Mayor, Craig Litwin
Breaking News: In a news scoop, WaccoBB has learned that former Sebastopol mayor, and powerhouse political consultant Craig Litwin is launching a write-in campaign for the upcoming Sebastopol City Council election, joining Michael, Carnacchi, Jonathan Greenberg and Neysa Hinton, who will be on the ballot.

Craig made the decision yesterday and has confirmed his intention this morning.

Craig served on the council from 2000-2008. Subsequently he has run dozens of local campaigns for local elected officials and ballot measures. His specialty is grassroots fundraising and political organizing. Has helped last elect Susan Gorin for Supervisor and Robert Jacob for Sebastopol City Council. He as also served as board president for the Permaculture Skills Center along with being active in the cannabis reform movement.

Winning a write-in campaign is notoriously difficult but Craig has the experience to make him a serious contender.

[Larry Robinson]

Great news! Craig has an unparalleled of depth of knowledge of how local government works and he exemplifies the best progressive values of Sebastopol. He is, by far, the most qualified candidate!



https://www.waccobb.net/forums/waccobb/keep90days/2016-08-31_10-26-00.png
Former (and future?) Mayor, Craig Litwin
Breaking News: In a news scoop, WaccoBB has learned that former Sebastopol mayor, and powerhouse political consultant Craig Litwin is launching a write-in campaign for the upcoming Sebastopol City Council election, joining Michael, Carnacchi, Jonathan Greenberg and Neysa Hinton, who will be on the ballot.

Craig made the decision yesterday and has confirmed his intention this morning.

Craig served on the council from 2000-2008. Subsequently he has run dozens of local campaigns for local elected officials and ballot measures. His specialty is grassroots fundraising and political organizing. Has helped last elect Susan Gorin for Supervisor and Robert Jacob for Sebastopol City Council. He as also served as board president for the Permaculture Skills Center along with being active in the cannabis reform movement.

Winning a write-in campaign is notoriously difficult but Craig has the experience to make him a serious contender.

[scamperwillow]

Good news - but I wish he had decided a couple weeks ago so he could be on the ballot. This will be harder......

[Dick]

I think he'll have a better chance if he loses the hat. C'mon Litwin.
But seriously, the odds might be long, but hopefully we haven't reached the tipping point of the Trump phenomenon coming to Sebastopol.

[Michael Anthony]

Sonoma West Times and News: Write-in enters Sebastopol City Council race. (https://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/write-in-enters-sebastopol-city-council-race/article_c432a1ec-6faa-11e6-a832-0f37cdcdb6e1.html)

Posted: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 11:43 am | Updated: 11:49 am, Wed Aug 31, 2016.
by Amie Windsor Sonoma West Staff Writer

Craig Litwin, city council veteran, joins race

A fourth contender is entering the race for the two Sebastopol City Council seats, which will be left vacant by current council members Robert Jacob and John Eder. Craig Litwin, who served on the city council from 2000 to 2008, has declared his intention to run as a write-in candidate.

“I have complete appreciation of the three people who already threw their name in the ring,” Litwin said. “I think an additional choice for two seats will be good.”

Litwin will join current candidates Michael Anthony Carnacchi, Jonathan Greenberg and Neysa Hinton in the race.

Unlike Carnacchi, Greenberg and Hinton — who will each have their names and candidate statements on the Nov. 8 ballot — Litwin will have to run a more grassroots campaign. To vote for Litwin, individuals will have to check the write-in candidate box and enter his entire name.

Whether or not he will be able to participate in political forums will likely be determined by those organizations hosting the debates.

Litwin is coming in late to the game due to uncertainty regarding his housing situation. Wanting more land and space, his family had considered moving to a more rural area of Sonoma County. However, the decision to remain in the family’s Sebastopol townhouse, where they’ve lived for 11 years, enabled Litwin to pursue his passion for serving the city he was born and raised in.

“I pledge to cast my vote as a city council member in what I think will be best for the city,” Litwin said. “I offer myself as an additional consideration.”

Litwin sees affordable housing, support of expansion of the city’s parks, creating a more walkable and bikeable city, balancing the city budget and supporting the local business community as his main points for the election.

“Affordable housing is near and dear to my heart,” Litwin said. He would like to see more mixed-use development within the city, allowing for possible atypical housing areas, such as outside of the Barlow, to become affordable housing neighborhoods.

In tandem, Litwin wants to continue to concentrate the city’s efforts on expansion and enhancements of the city’s parks, including Ives Park, the Laguna de Santa Rosa and the Skategarden Skate Park.

“These amenities are dear to Sebastopol,” Litwin said.

Additionally, he wants to continue the city’s efforts — which were strong during his first two terms as a city councilmember — to become a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly town.

“Much of my past work included adding crosswalks and bike routes, but there’s more that needs to be done,” Litwin said. “We need to work hard to increase bicycle and pedestrian safety for the citizens and visitors of Sebastopol.”

With a potential budget shortage looming in the city’s future, Litwin avowed to work to balance the city budget.

“We need to be able to maintain for a rainy day,” he said. “I was on the council right before the recession and our work helped the city weather those times. We need to be prudent with our funds.”

To become an official write-in candidate, Litwin must file the required forms with Mary Gourley, Sebastopol’s city clerk, no later than 14 days prior to the election. Forms will be available from Gourley 57 days before the election, giving Litwin and any other potential write-in candidate from Sept. 12 to Oct. 25 to file. To qualify as a write-in candidate, an individual must submit his or her candidate name, address and declaration, stating that he or she is a candidate for city council for the Nov. 8 election. Potential write-in candidates must also collect 20 qualified signatures from Sebastopol residents.

Sebastopol has had write-in candidates for many city council elections, but no such candidate has been elected to the seat. In 2010, write-in votes comprised .1 percent of all ballots cast; in 2008, they accounted for .2 percent of all votes. In 2000, when Litwin was first elected, no write-in votes were cast.

“Is it a long shot? It could be,” Litwin said. “But I have a track record. I honor the time the three candidates have put forward. I join them in that same spirit.”

[Shepherd]

After due consideration, the Grange organizers of the Sept. 28, Wed., Sebastopol City Council candidates' forum have made a decision. If Craig Litwin successfully applies to the City to be a write-in candidate on September 12 or soon after, he will be invited as a qualified candidate to our forum.

Please join us for what we hope will be an informative, educational, and cordial exchange of ideas, views, opinions, and reasons & qualifications for wanting to be a City Council member. The door will open at least by 6 p.m., perhaps earlier, and the program is scheduled to start at 6:30. People are welcome and encouraged to come early and stay late to converse with the candidates and your neighbors. What happens around the sides is often just as important as what happens up front.

[Dick]

Yay for democracy!


After due consideration, ...