Both seats a race in Turlock City Council’s first district elections

A challenger for District 2 has filed early interest papers for Turlock City Council, making contested races likely for both seats to be decided in the city’s first by-district elections.

Gil Esquer, 65, plans to run against Jaime Franco, 57, for the District 2 seat representing city residents west of Golden State Boulevard and south of Fulkerth Road.

Amy Bublak, 51, and Steve Nascimento, 30, both current at-large council members, and Donald Babadalir, 30, plan to run for the District 4 seat representing northwestern Turlock.

Candidates can only file nomination papers during the July 18-Aug. 12 period for the November election, but must file a notice of interest if they intend to conduct fundraising.

The move to by-district elections mirrors similar changes across Stanislaus County by school districts and cities to comply with the California Voting Rights Act. Dividing up areas is seen as a way to give neighborhood voices and grass-roots campaigns a better chance, making it easier for minority candidates to run.

The change encouraged Esquer to toss in his hat, he said. The notary public and wedding officiant submitted his form June 9 to run for the west Turlock seat.

“I figured what shot would I have in (a general) election?” Esquer said. Running on his home turf was worth a try, he said: “The west side can finally have a voice.”

Franco got an early jump on the campaign, handing in his paper in September. Franco has lived in southwest Turlock for 40 years and works for a Merced car dealership. Franco has said he wants to have greater services and road upgrades for the west side.

The District 4 race is a face-off of two neighbors and a newcomer to serve the area from Fulkerth to Taylor roads roughly bisected by Golden State Boulevard.

Bublak, a retired Modesto police officer, bought a house in the district Jan. 27, the same day she filed a candidate intention statement at City Hall.

Nascimento, executive director of the California Portuguese American Coalition, has lived in the neighborhood for 13 years. His listed address is five doors down from that of Babadalir, political adviser for the Near East Center for Strategic Engagement.

This year’s campaigns will follow a bitter dispute over who would run the town’s Main Street farmers market. After months of packed meetings, the hometown nonprofit bowed out and moved its operation to the Turlock Fairgrounds. The for-profit company that challenged the longtime status quo took Main Street. Both run Saturday mornings.

Campaign donations made by the extended family of Peter Cipponeri, founder of the for-profit company, figured heavily in the political controversy surrounding the decision. Joined by Councilman Bill DeHart, Nascimento strongly opposed allowing Cipponeri to compete for what was officially a road closure permit, and called for the city to adopt campaign finance reform.

Though various relatives had contributed to all the council members’ campaigns, the largest amounts went to Mayor Gary Soiseth and Bublak, who, with Councilman Matthew Jacob, supported using a bid process for the farmers market.

Efforts at campaign finance reform folded this month after City Attorney Phaedra Norton explained the meat of the proposed measure was on shaky legal ground.

But former Mayor Brad Bates, an outspoken critic of how the council handled the farmers market issue, grouped candidates by which side of the debate they favored. “There is a clear division taking place,” he said.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Both seats a race in Turlock City Council’s first district elections."