San Rafael voters will fill two City Council seats in the Tuesday, November 3 election, and anyone who wants on the ballot has until 5 p.m. Friday, August 7 to file.

Two candidates have already entered the District 3 (Eastern) race: Robert Sandoval and Daryoush Davidi, according to the Marin Independent Journal. The seat is held by Councilmember Maribeth Bushey, whose term expires this year.

District 2 (Western), held by Councilmember Eli Hill, is also on the ballot. Hill took out nomination papers for his own seat on July 20 but had not completed filing as of Monday, July 27, and no other candidates had come forward, according to the City of San Rafael.

The City Council formally called both by-district elections at its Monday, June 1 meeting.

A crowded ballot ahead

The November ballot will be packed. Marin County Registrar of Voters Natalie Adona told the Marin Independent Journal on July 27 that voters should brace for length.

"It's going to be a long ballot," Adona said. "We've got all the city elections and all the special districts and the school districts. We've also got 14 statewide ballot measures, and it looks like we're possibly going to exceed 20 local ballot measures."

Friday, August 7 is also the deadline for districts and municipalities to place local measures on the ballot.

The packed calendar is a product of Senate Bill 415, a 2017 state law that prohibits local governments from holding elections on off-cycle dates when doing so has historically depressed turnout by 25% or more below average. Marin County political consultant Paul Cohen said the consolidation increases costs for local candidates who must now reach more voters and cut through more campaign noise.

How to file

Prospective candidates can pick up and file nomination papers at the Marin County Elections Department, Suite 121, Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours until 5 p.m. on August 7. Application forms and a candidate guide are available at MarinVotes.org.

If an incumbent in any race has not filed by August 7, the filing period extends to Wednesday, August 12. Incumbents may not file during the extended period.

For questions, call the Marin County Elections Department at (415) 473-6437.