Wiknich

BACKGROUND

Wiknich Initiated an Election Contest by Filing an Affidavit On December 9, 2024, Wiknich initiated the instant case by filing an “affidavit” regarding the “ineligibility of … Blades” as a “Ridgecrest City Council [c]andidate of the 2024 Ridgecrest City Council [e]lection.” (Some capitalization omitted.) Wiknich asserted that a “Ridgecrest City Council election was held on November [5], 2024.” He added that three candidates were on the ballot for “two open City Council positions.” Blades and Rajaratnam were elected to the city council seats at issue. Wiknich placed third in the election. City council terms are normally four years in duration.

2. Wicknich noted in his affidavit that Blades had served on the Ridgecrest City Council prior to the November 2024 election. Specifically, Blades was appointed to the city council in December 2019 and served for one year in an appointed capacity. Subsequently, in an election held in November 2020, Blades was elected to a full four-year term. Wiknich further noted in the affidavit: “The current Ridgecrest [t]erm [l]imits Municipal Code section 2-25[, subdivision (c)] … states: ‘Any person who has held the office of member of the…