The deadline to file for the Santa Clarita City Council election passed Friday, with a total of 11 candidates vying for three seats.
Only residents who live in districts 2, 4 or 5 will see one of those elections on their ballot in a few months.
And with council members Marsha McLean and Bill Miranda deciding not to seek re-election, there are guaranteed to be some fresh faces on the City Council dais by December.
Here’s a rundown on who’s running:
District 2
There are three candidates who will be on the ballot for voters who live in District 2, an area that covers much of central and eastern Santa Clarita, including portions of Canyon Country, Saugus and the Santa Clarita Valley’s eastern foothills, extending toward the city’s northern boundary.
The candidates who submitted paperwork by last week’s filing deadline include, in alphabetical order, Brett Haddoak, Denise Lite and Gloria Mercado-Fortine.
Haddoak is the sole proprietor of Oakworks Software, which builds software for schools, governments and businesses; Lite is an attorney with a certified legal specialty in family law, and a former member of the city’s Planning Commission; and, Mercado-Fortine is a former member of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s governing board.
The city also publishes the candidates’ financial-interest disclosure forms, which are a requirement under law.
Haddoak reported stock ownership and a relationship through his software business. Mercado-Fortine checked “no reported interests on any schedule” in her Form 700, where candidates are required to report financial relationships. Lite did not have a Form 700 listed on the city’s website and did not send one over as of this story’s publication.
Carrie Lujan, city communications manager, confirmed the list of candidates and said the city was still uploading documents as of Monday, when asked about statements of financial interest that were not listed online.
District 4
There are five candidates for District 4, which includes much of western Santa Clarita, including Valencia and parts adjacent to Stevenson Ranch, extending north toward the city’s boundary near FivePoint Valencia.
The candidates who filed to run as of the deadline are, in alphabetical order: Jeffrey Berman, Valerie Bradford, Nicholas Somers, Laurene Weste and Andrea Zito.
Berman lists “creative director/video producer” among his media roles on his LinkedIn page. Bradford has retired after spending her career in human resources for various corporations. Somers is the sole proprietor of Nvisionate, a film-production sound stage in North Hollywood. Weste manages property and has been on the City Council since her first election in 1998.
Zito is a Realtor with LPT Realty and has experience in sales and with Sodexo.
In terms of legally required financial disclosures, Berman listed stock investments in his Form 700. Bradford listed no reportable interests. Somers listed his stock investments and ownership of Nvisionate. Weste’s updated Form 700 was not available. She said in a phone conversation Monday that her disclosures had not changed from the previous year with the exception of her Saugus residency. Her property interests from her 2025 disclosure included four in Saugus and one in Placerita Canyon.
Zito listed a real property interest in Canyon Country, as well as her professional relationships with realty, maintenance equipment and catering.
District 5
There are three candidates for District 5, which covers southern and southwestern Santa Clarita, including much of Newhall and Valencia, extending west toward the city’s boundary.
The candidates who filed to run as of the deadline are, in alphabetical order: Lily Chernova, Kelvin Driscoll and Bob Khalsa.
Chernova is an executive for Motivus, a digital technology and engineering consulting firm. Driscoll is the executive director for Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System, or HOPICS. Khalsa is the owner of a real estate sales and property management company.
For financial disclosures, Chernova listed stock investments in her Form 700. Driscoll’s Form 700 was not available online as of this story’s publication, but he sent it upon request Monday, and it did not list any reportable interests. Khalsa listed a real estate investment in Canyon Country and income from his property-management business.
