County Republican Leader Calls for Special Election for Vacant Supervisor Seat

Joining party activists on the other side of the political spectrum, former Foster City Mayor and vice chair of the San Mateo County Republican Party Deborah Wilder has called on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors to call a special election to fill a board seat vacated by former Supervisor and now Assemblyman Jerry Hill.

Hill resigned on November 30, 2008 and the four remaining supervisors have moved ahead with a process to select rather than elect Hill’s replacement. The board has rationalized that the approximate cost of $1.6 million to conduct a special election next spring is too much given the financial challenges the county faces.

Wilder, however, according to an article in the San Mateo County Times, opposes a selection process.

"I've always believed that an election is the right thing to do because it gives the people a choice as opposed to just four other individuals," said Wilder, vice chairwoman of the local GOP.

Wilder has echoed the sentiments expressed by the San Mateo County Democratic Party Committee whose members passed a resolution last month also calling for a special election.

In a previous Times article, Democratic Party Committee member Nicklas Akers, who authored the resolution, argued that the Supervisor seats are rarely contested and an open seat should be put to a vote.

"Our county's at-large system for electing supervisors gives a strong advantage to incumbents. It has been nearly three decades since a supervisor running for re-election has been defeated,” said Akers. “The People of San Mateo County should be given the opportunity to fill this open seat."

In the same edition of the Times, San Mateo Union High School District Trustee Dave Pine penned an opinion piece on the issue. Pine challenged the notion that the cost of calling a special election should trump the democratic process.

“Holding an election to fill the vacant supervisor seat would encourage a rigorous and thoughtful debate on county issues, allow the voters to choose who will represent them, and energize our local democracy,” said Pine. “To do otherwise would be a disservice to the residents of San Mateo County.”

The county board is slated to make an appointment at the board’s Dec, 16 meeting. If for some reason the four board members are not able to agree on an appointment, the board may be forced to call a special election.

Three or four names have surfaced as possible contenders. Leading the pack is San Mateo Councilmember Carole Groom. Other names that have surfaced include San Mateo County Board of Education Trustee Rod Hsiao, former clerk to the Board of Supervisors Ric Silver and recently Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District Trustee Karen Leong Clancy has also been mentioned.

Ironically, Groom, who is serving her second term on the San Mateo City Council, ran unnopposed in 2000 in a special election following the untimely death of former San Mateo City Councilman Gary Yates.