City of San Fernando residents have three certified candidates to choose from in the March 2024 special election to fill the vacant seat on the local city council following the passing of Councilmember Cindy Montañez.
Sylvia Ballin, Victoria Garcia and Sean M. Rivas are the three qualified candidates who have thrown their hat in the ring. The winning candidate, who will be decided by a simple majority vote, will serve the remainder of Montañez’s term – which ends in November 2024.
Ballin, a resident of San Fernando for 47 years, has previously served on the City Council for more than 11 years and served four terms as mayor during her tenure. However, she lost her seat to Mary Solorio during the 2022 election. Ballin has been a board member of the Metropolitan Water District with a professional background as a principal analyst for the agency. She holds a Business of Science degree from the University of La Verne.
Garcia is an attorney who grew up in the City of San Fernando. She earned her degree from Stanford Law School and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. This won’t be her first time running for the City Council, previously making a bid in the 2022 election.
Rivas is a member of the San Fernando Planning and Preservation Commission and is the chair of the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley. He is also the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 741.
Whoever is elected can potentially play the pivotal role of a tiebreaker if issues arise that could split the vote among the five council members.
Residents will be able to vote either by mail or in person. Registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail. Voters can also drop off their ballots at one of two drop box locations in San Fernando: one in front of the City Hall Council Chambers, or the other at Pioneer Park near the snack bar.
For more information on the special election, go to http://sfcity.org/Elections/.