Extended election deadline arrives

The filing deadline to run for many of Merced County’s elected offices closed last week, and the rest closed at the end of the day Wednesday.

Races in which the incumbent did not file for re-election continued to Wednesday, according to David Sullivan, the assistant registrar of voters for Merced County.

Sullivan said the list of candidates online would be updated at the end of Wednesday, which was after the Merced Sun-Star’s print deadline.

Nineteen races for school district, water district or other special seats continued to Wednesday. Also continued were city council seats in Atwater, Livingston and Gustine, according to records.

Livingston’s mayoral race continued, as well.

Atwater Councilman Joe Rivero, Gustine Councilwoman Julie Lynn Anderson and Livingston Councilman Jim Soria were all incumbents who did not file for re-election, according to records.

Soria has tossed his hat into the mayor’s ring. Livingston Mayor Rodrigo Espinoza won his June bid for the Merced County Board Of Supervisors District 1 race, so he did not file for re-election either.

Two Atwater City Council seats are up for election and will be voted on in a citywide ballot. Business owner Paul Creighton, incumbent and real estate agent Larry Bergman, retired telecommunications worker Dan Hernandez and business partner Cindy Vierra have all qualified to run.

Gustine City Council incumbent Joe Oliveira, quality assurance technician Leonard Acosta III and building contractor Craig Turner filed to vie for the two council seats.

Livingston’s council has three open seats, which have drawn several candidates. Running are Wapinder Kang, a Livingston police officer; Adanan Bath, a businessman; incumbent Arturo Sicairos; Juan Aguilar Jr., a firefighter and social worker; Alex McCabe, an appointed councilman; and Jason Roth, a service provider.

Mario Mendoza, a planning commissioner; and Robert Wallis, who did not report his occupation, pulled papers to run in Livingston but had not filed them by the Sun-Star’s deadline.

Check www.mercedsunstar.com for updates.

This story was originally published August 17, 2016 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Extended election deadline arrives."