Christie Stanley will run for county D.A.

Stanley will run for county D.A. By Erin Carlyle/Times Staff Writer May 24, 2003 The election is still three years away, but Christie Stanley has already begun her campaign to become the next district attorney for Santa Barbara County. Stanley, assistant district attorney for the North County, said she decided to run after Tom Sneddon, the county’s current top prosecutor, chose not to seek re-election in 2006. “I think its time for somebody else to have a shot at it,” said Sneddon, who will have held the post for six terms and 24 years when he retires. So far Stanley is the only candidate. Her counterpart on the South Coast, Patrick J. McKinley, said he will not run for the post. “I know Christie is (running) and I’m supporting her. It’s time for a North County person and a woman,” said McKinley. However, since there is a lot of time before the election, it’s too early to tell exactly who Stanley’s competition might be. Sneddon said Stanley would be a great district attorney, but that he will not endorse any particular candidate at this point. If others from his office decide to run, Sneddon won’t choose one to endorse because “I respect so many people in this office,” he said. Stanley said she decided to kick off her campaign early because “…over the last 10 years, at least, I have said loudly and to everyone in the office that I am not going to run.” Since she’s changed her mind, she and her supporters wanted to get the word out as soon as possible, she said. Stanley has been assistant district attorney for the North County since 1991, and with the district attorney’s office since 1980. She attended Hancock College in 1974 and graduated from the Ventura College of Law in 1978. Between 1981 and 1991 she was the supervising attorney in the district attorney’s Lompoc office, where in 1984 she received a prosecutor of the year award. Stanley continues to prosecute trials, including the recent Orocio trial in Santa Maria. The primary election for district attorney will be in March of 2006. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, he or she will automatically become the new district attorney. If the vote is split between several candidates, the top two will face off in November of 2006. The new district attorney will be sworn in January 2007. * Staff writer Erin Carlyle can be reached at 739-2218 or by e-mail at ecarlyle@pulitzer.net. May 24, 2003 :nav Source: http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2003/05/24/news/export10453.txt