NorCal Candidate May Not Qualify To Run For Mayor: Report

PETALUMA, CA — Petaluma officials are examining whether mayoral candidate Shelina Moreda qualified for the November ballot after questions emerged about whether she met the city’s residency requirements, the Petaluma Argus-Courier reported.

Moreda, a motorcycle racer from a local farming family, may not be eligible to run because she did not register to vote at an address within Petaluma city limits at least 30 days before the Aug. 7 filing deadline, according to allegations submitted to city officials.

SEIU Local 1021 political organizer Ryan Williams and North Bay Labor Council Political Director Maddy Hirshfield raised the issue in separate letters to city officials last week, the Argus-Courier reported.

Their letters prompted City Attorney Eric Danly to question Moreda’s eligibility and contact the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, according to an email between the county elections office and Petaluma City Clerk Caitlin Corley cited by the Argus-Courier.

Danly notified Moreda about the inquiry Aug. 15, saying there was a substantial question about whether she satisfied the residency qualification for the office of Petaluma mayor, according to the Argus-Courier.

He also warned that defendants found to be unlawfully holding office could be removed, ordered to pay costs, and fined up to $5,000, according to the Argus-Courier.

Moreda responded to the city late Monday and said officials had tried to contact her through an email address she does not regularly check, according to the Argus-Courier. She maintained that she met all residency requirements to run for mayor.

Danly told the Argus-Courier on Tuesday that the city was preparing a response.

Questions about Moreda’s eligibility surfaced immediately after she filed paperwork Aug. 6, the Argus-Courrier reported.

Moreda told the newspaper that she was a proud resident of Petaluma. Williams disputes that claim.

He emailed the city Aug. 12, urging officials to investigate Moreda’s eligibility.

The Petaluma resident, voter, and Petaluma City Schools trustee alleged Moreda registered to vote at a Petaluma address on Aug. 6, the same day she filed to run for mayor, after previously being registered at an address outside city limits, according to the Argus-Courrier.

Williams said Moreda had lived and registered to vote at the Moreda family farm west of Petaluma off Chileno Valley Road, outside city limits, the Argus-Courier reported.

He argued that city code requires mayoral candidates to be registered Petaluma voters for at least 30 days before filing nomination paperwork and that Moreda should be removed from the race if she failed to meet that requirement.

Williams told the Argus-Courier that he and SEIU 1021 were not trying to attack Moreda, but said a court could overturn the election if it were ruled fraudulent, potentially costing the city millions of dollars to correct. He said he tried to contact Moreda about his concerns but did not hear back.

Hirshfield sent a separate letter to the city Aug. 13, according to the Argus-Courier

Incumbent Mayor Kevin McDonnell and Petaluma resident John Hanania are also in the race.

Danly contacted the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters about Moreda’s candidacy, according to an Aug. 14 email from county election specialist Will Stephenson to Corley cited by the Argus-Courier.

Danly said city officials were working to determine whether Moreda should remain on the ballot before a Friday deadline.

Moreda previously ran for southern Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisors seat in the June primary but did not advance to the runoff.

She received more than 6,500 votes, campaigned on her name recognition and family ties to local agriculture, and faced scrutiny for giving an age in interviews that did not match records.