Half Moon Bay voters in Districts 1, 4 and 5 will elect council members on Nov. 3. Districts 2 and 3 are up in 2028.

District 1

Robert Brownstone and David Gorn are on the ballot.

District 4: Ruddock vs. Kies

District 4 includes Cañada Cove and Ocean Colony. Mayor Debbie Ruddock has served nearly 24 years on the council, and another term could take her past Naomi Patridge's 25-year record. Patridge has endorsed her. Ruddock opposes "one-size-fits-all" state housing rules and points to the city's limits on water, sewer capacity and evacuation routes.

Ron Kies is a geologist retired from the energy industry, including Chevron, and lives in Ocean Colony. It's his first run. Vice Mayor Deborah Penrose encouraged him to run, and he's endorsed by the San Mateo County Democratic Party and Coastside Democrats.

Both candidates named power outages as a top issue. The area had more than 700 outages in 2021 and 2022, and PG&E is hardening the circuit, Coastside News reported.

District 5: Morasci vs. Booker

District 5 covers Main Street and downtown. It's an open seat because Vice Mayor Deborah Penrose isn't running.

Susie Morasci is from a multigenerational Half Moon Bay family and has been involved with the I.D.E.S. Society and the city's Beautification Committee. This is her first run. She's endorsed by Ruddock, Patric Jonsson and Patridge. "I'm not against growth," she said, adding that it should be intentional.

Steven Booker is political director of IBEW Local 617 and ran for county supervisor in 2022. He's endorsed by state Sen. Josh Becker, Assemblymember Marc Berman and the county Democratic Party. He calls for "smart change" and more downtown nightlife. Coastside News reported that Booker was arrested on suspicion of DUI in 2022 after a single-car crash in Belmont. "I deeply regret it," he said.

Why it matters

The next council inherits a state lawsuit over the city's rezoning and referendums on both the rezoning and the 555 Kelly Ave. housing decision. Read our Measure Q explainer.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.