This year a likely record number of Asian Americans and/or Pacific Islanders (API) have filed to run for local office in the November 2009 General Election. The candidates are seeking a range of positions including school board and city council seats.
As many as eight new and four incumbent API candidates have filed to run for office. That is just about as many who hold office now and, if all of the candidates were successful, would increase the number of API elected officials by nearly 60 percent in San Mateo County.
Despite surging numbers of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (API) in San Mateo County, particularly in communities such as Foster City, San Mateo, Millbrae, South San Francisco and Daly City, the county has very few API elected officials.
In a quick survey of the approximately 454 local offices - excluding judges - in San Mateo County, perhaps 12 elected officials are APIs, or perhaps 2 ½ percent. Such a small percentage of local officeholders belies the fact that San Mateo County ‘s population is perhaps more than a quarter API.
That is why this year’s crop of candidates could begin to dramatically change the landscape for API political influence in the county.
Incumbents such as South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto, Half Moon Bay Councilmember Naomi Patridge, San Bruno Councilman Ken Ibarra and Belmont Redwood Shores Elementary School District Trustee will all be running for reelection.
But many newcomers have arrived on the scene as well. Alameda County Deputy District Attorney David Lim will run for a San Mateo City Council seat in a field of 12 possible candidates for three seats. Lim has been endorsed by just about every local leader relevant to this race and is expected to place well in the race. Included in that massive field of candidates is Bertha Sanchez, a former San Mateo Planning Commissioner who ran unsuccessfully in 2007.
Mike Loy, an active parent in the Aragon High School community will run for a seat on the San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees.
In the south part of the county Redwood City Planning Commissioner Jeff Gee will run in a smaller field of candidates for three seats but is expected to do well.
Just up the road, former Civil Grand Jury Chairwoman Virginia Chang Kiralay will run for a seat on the Sequoia Union High School District Board of Trustees for one of two available seats.
In the Belmont Redwood Shores Elementary School District parent Peter Tao will run for one of the available seats and could join incumbent Karen Leong Clancy on that board. Tao was actually passed over for an appointment to the board last fall when a mid-term opening occurred.
In Foster City, newcomer and businessman Wing Yu is running for one of two possible seats on the city council. Wing would not be the first API to serve on the council in Foster City but it has been many years since the now very large API community in Foster City has had a representative on the council.
And finally, in the unincorporated community of Broadmoor, San Francisco Police Patrol Special Hanley Chan is running for a seat on the three-member Broadmoor Police Commission, the panel that oversees the special police district in that community.
As the API population continues to grow in San Mateo County it is no coincidence that the political power of the API communities will increase. There have been many leaders and pioneers such as Matsumoto in South San Francisco or Patridge in Half Moon Bay who were among the very early success stories for API candidates. It is also no coincidence that San Mateo County is now represented by two API legislators for the first time including Senator Leland Yee and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma. Their presence and involvement with local candidates may help shape the landscape to come.
Whatever happens, a sleeping giant may be beginning to awaken and all would be politicians should take notice.
Contact Bruce Balshone at bruce.examiner@gmail.com
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