The race for Pleasanton City Council District 1 is officially underway as longtime Tri-Valley resident Dean Wallace has become the second person to announce their candidacy for the Nov. 8 general election.

Wallace, a political staffer who currently works as a district director for Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Berkeley), said in a news release last week that he is excited to put his experience in civic engagement to work.

"Public service and responsive government is my life's great passion, and I'm incredibly excited about this opportunity to serve the people of Pleasanton," he said. "I'm running to bring a forward-looking perspective to the City Council."

Wallace is the second candidate to throw his name in the District 1 race, following Pleasanton Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Nibert, who announced late July that he will be running as well. The deadline to register is today.

If elected, it would be Wallace's first time serving in the Pleasanton city government, with no local commission or committee experience.

Originally born in Ireland, Wallace moved to the United States with his parents when he was a child and obtained full citizenship in 2011. He has worked for several East Bay elected officials over the past decade, including serving as a field director for U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore).

"He was with me when it was just the two of us and a few volunteers knocking on doors to talk to voters -- and by the end of that campaign we had hundreds of volunteers knocking on doors in every neighborhood in Pleasanton and my district," Swalwell said in Wallace's campaign news release. "I know Dean's ready to roll up his sleeves and work hard on behalf of the residents of Pleasanton, because I've already seen him do it."

Wallace said his local and regional relationships will help him achieve his priorities, which include promoting Pleasanton's hometown values, supporting working families and ensuring funding for community services.

He said his plans also include, "smart growth policies, long-term sustainability, and strong public safety for our residents and local businesses."

The November election will be Pleasanton's first time following a district-based format for City Council seats, with District 1 representing the northwest Pleasanton neighborhoods of Highland Oaks, Moller Ranch, Val Vista and Hacienda.

Current Councilmember Kathy Narum's seat on the council, for which she was elected at-large in 2018, has been effectively assigned to District 1 after the conversion to district elections. Narum will be ineligible to run for council in November under the city's term limit law.

As a District 1 resident, Wallace said the district-based election will provide a unique opportunity to represent an area that he says will "play a central role in the writing of Pleasanton's next chapter."

"As someone who graduated from high school in the Tri-Valley, then returned after college to live close to family, I have experienced firsthand the challenges facing our young families and young professionals," he said. "That informs my deeply held belief that our community values must include supporting our high school graduates of tomorrow -- by envisioning a future where they can continue to thrive right here in Pleasanton."

Wallace graduated from Stanford University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in political science. To learn more about Wallace and his campaign, go to his website at www.DeanWallace.com.