The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors on Tuesday could decide how to replace its newly retired county clerk-recorder.
Joe Canciamilla, a former District 11 Assemblyman, Contra Costa County supervisor and Pittsburg City Councilman, announced abruptly last week that Oct. 31 would be his last day on the job. He had been appointed to
succeed the retiring Steve Weir in 2013, and was elected to the job in 2014 and 2018. His current term expires in 2022.
Canciamilla’s retirement would mean an end to a political career that began in 1973, when he was elected to the Pittsburg Unified School District board at age 17 (he was sworn in at 18). He remains the state’s youngest elected school trustee ever.
County Administrator David Twa recommends the supervisors seek applications for prospective clerk-recorder candidates and appoint their preferred applicant – the same process by which Canciamilla was appointed.
Tuesday’s meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the supervisors chambers on the first floor of the county administration building, 651 Pine St. in downtown Martinez.
16 comments
The Board should NOT be appointing a replacement for such an extended term remaining. There needs to be a special election – this is an end run around the democratic process. An especially big problem when it comes to someone being in charge of our votes and the voting machines. It’s suspicious that he would have run and them retire so quickly after the election (and having his last day be just before election day this year!)
Special elections cost a lot.
The cost of a special election does not outweigh the right of the voters to choose the head of elections in this case. Three years of a four year term is too long for elected officials to “appoint” an elected office, especially one that determines how elections are run and oversees the vote count.
@ Hope Johnson
Then go to the BOS and demand a special election during public comment or contact your supe.
This seat should be filled by either a special election, a temporary appointee until a special election could be held at the time of the 2020 California primary election in 120 days or at the time of the California general election a year from now, or someone should be appointed to finish out the term, but only if the appointee agrees to not run for the position in 2022. The only reason for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to appoint “THEIR CANDIDATE” rather than allow a special election, is to give “THEIR APPOINTED CANDIDATE” an advantage in the 2022 election.
When City of Concord voters defied the will of the Concord City Council in 2012 by defeating Measure J, which would’ve made the position of Concord City Treasurer an appointed position rather than an elected position, but they were able to come up with a scheme to thwart the will of the voters and get “THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATE” appointed anyway by having the then sitting Concord City Treasurer resign from the position before his term expired so that Tim McGallian could be appointed Concord City Treasurer in 2015. Tim McGallian was later appointed to the Concord City Council in 2017, then elected to the Concord City Council in 2018, running unopposed in Concord City Council District 5, and Concord is now stuck with Tim McGallian for the foreseeable future, another career politician in the making.
We shouldn’t give the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors the opportunity to “APPOINT THEIR PERFERRED CANDIDATE” the same way the Concord City Council “APPOINTED THEIR PERFERRED CANDIDATE.”
Solid analysis and excellent explanation…. as always.
Thank you!
Call Steve Weir back from retirement, as a temporary replacement. He ran that office for many, problem free years, without a scent of scandal, and would be an excellent fill-in, IF he’s at all interested.
Your idea should be seriously considered. I absolutely agree with your description of Stephen Weir and his service to all of us.
How much does it pay and what does a recorder do?
While most people are over there screaming about Trump, Russia, Pelosi, McConnell, and Adam Schiff – this is how elections are really stolen. Secretaries of State purging the voter rolls unethically with a little help from voters losing control of local elections by lack of interest in the Elections Department. This is more boring and not exciting reality TV style nonsense – but it is the reality of how your votes end up not counting or counting a little extra than one vote per person.
Like the hanging chad debacle?
Agreed, elections are stolen by the blunder of friends and family of CA politicians.
Randy,
They run unopposed most of the time because they aren’t subject to term limits, making it highly unlikely that they would be defeated. The lack of term limits, which is the cause of them being reelected unopposed, is a reason for this position to remain an elected position. Why would you want to give up your right to vote so that career politicians on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors can appoint their friends to positions instead?
I wish there was a rule that someone appointed to a seat was then not allowed to run for that office. The incumbent, appointed or not, nearly always wins for these seats.
Also, why wait for 2022? We have a primaries coming up on March 3, 2020 and the general election on November 3, 2020. The term would run for the usual four years or whatever it is for that office.
I’d agree with Steve Weir as a choice if he’s willing and able.
Joe Canciamilla was making $205,000 in 2018 according to TransparentCalifornia.com
Something happened to abruptly give up that type of salary.
Just making sure everyone sees the news that Canciamilla was busted for illegally spending $130,529 of campaign funds to remodel his home in Hawaii, vacations, and other personal expenses. That’s the reason he resigned.
He’s another Mary Jo Rossi client. Stop voting for these same people and their associates! And this is why there should be a special election, not just another bunch of long term, entrenched hacks placing people they know will go along to get along with squandering tax money.
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