Financial planner joins council race

The crowded race for Huntington Beach City Council has gotten even tighter, as a 21st contender has added himself as an official write-in candidate for the November ballot.

Blake Rose, a certified financial planner who runs his own business, submitted his paperwork after the Aug. 6 deadline for candidates to have their names appear on the ballot. If residents want to vote for him, they will have to write his name on a blank space below the other candidates’ names. Otherwise, City Clerk Joan Flynn said Rose is eligible to post campaign signs around town and join public forums with the other 20 candidates.

Rose, who said he had the idea to run for the council just a month ago, acknowledged that he would have to campaign hard to catch up with the other candidates. He was confident, though, that his experience would set him apart from the pack.

In addition to having a background in finance, Rose assisted Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach in getting Measure J, a measure that gave voters final say over increased county pensions, on the ballot in 2008.

“A lot of people are telling me I can’t win because I’m a write-in candidate,” Rose, 48, said. “I don’t think that’s true. I think people will vote for a well-reasoned candidate with the best plan for the city, even if they have to write my name.”

--Michael Miller