Open Senate seat poll looms

It’s less than a month to the primary election to fill the 35th State Senate seat, left vacant in December when John Campbell was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Two Republicans and one Democrat so far in the running for that office will be on the ballot in a special open primary on April 11. Write-in candidates have until March 28 to file their nomination papers with the registrar of voters.

Vying in a hotly contested race for the Republican ticket are Assemblyman Tom Harman and Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey.

The sole Democrat on the ballot is Larry Caballero, a public-school teacher.

If one candidate receives a majority of votes ? 50% plus one ? that person wins the office outright. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff will take place June 6, which is also a primary in many other races.

Friday, March 10, was the deadline for candidates in many local, state and federal races to file papers to appear on the June 6 primary ballot.

The primary returns to June for the first time since 1998. In addition to a possible runoff for the 35th State Senate seat, the ballot will include primary elections for the 48th Congressional seat, and county supervisor for District 2.

Also on the June ballot are primaries for a number of other state offices ? including governor ? and various Orange County offices. The winners from each party will face off in the Nov. 7 general election.

Primary candidates are: