Several City Council seats open in Riverside

With the statewide filing period for city council elections beginning this week, four city government offices will be on the ballot in Riverside come November.

Mayor Allen Schneider said he planned to run once again. If he wins, it would be his fourth two-year term in the office.

“We’ve started down the road to build a community center, and I would like to see that momentum keep going,” Schneider said. “What I intend to bring to the table is someone who helps our city work together, whether that be the city council or the city staff or the residents, I want to see everybody have a voice within our local government and make sure that we’re considering everybody’s perspectives when we make decisions.”

Previous elections suggest Schneider’s seat is relatively safe. He ran unopposed in 2019 after winning 154-59 in 2017 and 212-137 in 2015, according to county election records.

The City Council seats up for reelection have a more competitive history. The seats currently held by Councilpersons Andy Rodgers and Tom Sexton were won with 116 and 107 votes, respectively, in 2017. The next runner-up in that race came in just three votes short, at 104.

Rodgers said he did not plan to run again, putting the council seat up for grabs. Sexton declined an interview, but said he had not decided whether he would seek reelection.

A third council position is up for a special election this year as well: the seat formerly held by Jeanine Redlinger, who resigned from the council to move out of Riverside in June.

The City Council has since appointed Council Person Kevin Mills to the position, but the remainder of the term will be filled by the voters’ choice in November.

“There are two years left on her term, that two-year seat will also be on ballot,” City Clerk Becky LaRoche said. “Citizens who run for council will have to decide if they want the two- or four-year term. I thought the third place vote total would get the two-year term, but Auditor’s Office said it would be separate elected position.”

Mills said he planned to run for a four-year seat, leaving the two-year council seat open.

“The last eight years or so, I’ve followed a lot of City Council meetings,” he said. “It’s my turn to get on and serve the community. I’m a big one for following the rules, getting what we paid for and following through on your projects and staying up to date.”