Giselle Hale has legal path for reelection in Redwood City

County Attorney John Nibbelin informed the Daily Journal that Hale can run for reelection to the Redwood City Council while also appearing on the ballot for state Assembly, a race Hale recently dropped out of due to the effects campaigning had on both her and her family.

The law does prohibit officials from holding two incompatible offices at the same time, which means that if Hale were elected to the Assembly and the council, she would have to surrender one of the offices.

“She can, in fact, be on the ballot, notwithstanding that she has been on the ballot for state Assembly. That information has gone out to [Hale],” Nibbelin said. “You cannot hold two offices that are incompatible offices. There are many instances where being in the state Assembly would be incompatible with being a member of the city council due to overlapping jurisdictions.”

Hale, who was elected during the city’s last at-large election in 2018, currently resides in District 2, the city’s largest district geographically that includes 11,851 residents across parts of downtown and both Bair and Greco islands. Her current term expires this November but Hale said she has not made a decision on whether she will run for reelection.

Two other candidates have been issued nomination papers to run for the seat, Margaret Becker and Chris Sturken, according to the city’s Municipal Elections Information webpage. Becker currently serves as the chair of the city’s Housing and Human Concerns Committee. Sturken sits on the county’s LGBTQ Commission and was recently named to the Redwood City Planning Commission.

Races are also being held in District 5 and District 6. Councilmember Diane Howard, who was also elected at-large in 2018, has announced her bid for reelection in District 6, running against Jerome Madigan who serves alongside Becker on the HHCC. Kaia Eakin, a development specialist for the San Mateo County Historical Association, is currently the lone candidate running for the District 5 seat.

A seat representing District 4 also recently became available after former Councilmember Michael Smith announced his resignation effective Aug. 1 so that he could care for an ailing relative on the East Coast. The council has until Sept. 18 to fill the vacant seat with someone who is at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, eligible to vote and resides in District 4 as it was formed in 2019.

That appointed councilmember will finish out Smith’s term through November 2024. Applications for the position are due by Aug. 16.

Visit redwoodcity.org/departments/city-clerk/vacancy-for-city-council-district-4-seat for more information on filling the vacant District 4 seat and redwoodcity.org/departments/city-clerk/voter-and-election-information/municipal-election-information for additional information on Redwood City’s upcoming election.