14 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com The Sand City mayor’s husband and a city council incumbent are both technically running for city council—but voters won’t see them on the ballot. As write-in candidates, they have a slim chance at election. Instead, Sand City voters will see two names to vote for on their ballot for city council: Justin Rumps, a federal employee and Marine Corps veteran, and Luke Kilpatrick, a local businessman. They’ll also see just one for mayor—incumbent Mary Ann Carbone. Salvatore Carbone, the former owner of the now-shuttered Sal’s Alley Side Café and Carbone’s Bar in Monterey and the mayor’s husband, filed as a write-in candidate and qualified on Sept. 18. “Do you know any husband and wife that agree on everything?” Carbone replies when asked how he would address any potential conflict of interest with his wife. Kim Scudder, a current city councilmember who was appointed in February to fill a vacancy, qualified on Sept. 15. Rumps, Kilpatrick and Scudder have all faced each other before: in the February meeting where Scudder was appointed by the city council and mayor, her two challengers for the position were Rumps and Kilpatrick. Due to injuries, Scudder says she was unable to know whether she’d be able to commit to the role before the Aug. 7 filing deadline to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Describing her platform, Scudder says she recruited volunteers to participate in the Community Emergency Response Team in Monterey. She notes she voted in favor of the local trails, park restoration and an affordable housing project and serves on the Transportation Agency for Monterey County’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee. “I think it put me at a disadvantage to get injured before it was time to run for office, but it also gave me an opportunity to go door to door and teach everyone about what being a write-in candidate is,” Scudder says. Carbone says his qualifications are that he was a business owner, and is a family man and community oriented. He also pointed to his Monterey County Civil Grand Jury service. His own daily task is driving through the city to assure there is no graffiti or garbage, he says. He has also been the local Santa Claus for the past couple years. In 2018, the Monterey County District Attorney charged him with a misdemeanor of insurance fraud for lying about how many employees he had at his bar from 2014-2015. He pleaded no contest, which is not a formal admission of guilt. Carbone said what actually happened was he paid cash to the doorman and bands at the bar instead of including them on the payroll. “Will I walk in there and be the best city councilmember ever?” Carbone says. “Absolutely not. I have to learn. I have the benefit of living with a politician of 40 years…but does that make me the best? Only the citizens can tell you that.” Write Time Sand City incumbent, and the mayor’s husband, make a last-ditch effort to get elected to city council. By Chrissa Olson Incumbent Kim Scudder, left, and Salvatore Carbone are the only write-in candidates approved for Monterey County ballots. Both are running for Sand City City Council. NEWS “I have the benefit of living with a politician of 40 years.” DANIEL DREIFUSS Scientists have discovered the key to STOPPING TRUMP. SCAN HERE TO TRACK YOUR BALLOT DA26_MCNowAd_4.66x5.57_r2.indd 1 10/1/26 3:15 PM VOTE BY MAIL OR IN PERSON ON NOVEMBER 3 Paid for by Robert Rivas for Assembly 2026 | Paid political ad FPPC ID # 1476818 | PO Box 2385, Salinas, CA 93902 RIVASCA.COM
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==