Corrin Rankin Enters Political Arena, Accumulates Endorsements

Businesswoman Corrin Rankin declared her intent to run for City Council in Redwood City this election season, becoming one of two who have started campaigning early, and bringing her unique life experiences to the political arena.

Since kicking off her campaign with a party on May 30, Rankin has accumulated 57 endorsements from community leaders who live all over the San Francisco Peninsula, a testament to her ability to build relationships. 608 people have liked her Facebook Page as of June 18.

Prominent individuals who are publicly backing her candidacy include Don Horsley, president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors; Lilia Ledezma, president of the Rotary Club of Redwood City; and Greg Munks, San Mateo County Sheriff.

The bulk of her endorsements are from business owners, which may be related to the fact that Rankin is a member of the San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce’s Governmental Relations Committee. This is one of Rankin's many community building organization memberships. 

According to Rankin’s LinkedIn resume, her history of public participation in Redwood City organizations began in 2010, when she became a Paul Harris Fellow in the Redwood City Rotary. Rankin joined the Redwood City Downtown Business Group in 2011, later that year joining the San Mateo County Sheriff Activities League as a Board Member.

Much of her experience comes from her volunteer work, commitments to family, and her professional experiences, rather than academia. She started a family in her 20s and went to trade school during the dot-com boom, earning a degree from the Masters Institute of Technology in San Jose, which closed suddenly in 2001. She worked for Hotmail and Excite @ Home from 1998-2002. 

Supporter Lilia Ledezma says Rankin is known throughout Redwood City as a woman who is immersed in the community and devoted to improving it, which is likely to work in her favor during the November 2013 election. 

Three seats are opening this election season, as the terms of Councilmembers Jeffrey Gee, Jeff Ira, and John D. Seybert conclude. Gee has begun his re-election campaign and Planning Commission Chair Ernie Schmidt has declared his intent to run for city council. 

The usual path to City Council runs from a moment of dissatisfaction with the way government works through the city commissions up to the Planning Commission and into the council dais. However, Rankin is paving her own path. 

She was inspired to run for City Council when California passed legislation that would send 30,000 non-violent inmates to local jails, one of which is in Redwood City.

“That pushed me over the edge of taking this leap into local politics,” she said.

“It’s fundamentally changed the way our justice system in California performs…I knew that there’s a real need going forward to have this knowledge and the mindset represented on the council,” Rankin told Patch.

“The toothpaste is out of the tube, and we cant put it back in. So, how are we going to be handling it going forward?”

Her knowledge of the way the system works comes from personal interactions with the justice system through her business, Out Now Bail Bonds. Her father founded the bail bond insurance company, which she now runs. She is also the president of the San Mateo County Bail Association.

“As President, I work to honor our commitment to promote and preserve the business interests of the bail agents based in San Mateo County," reads the description of her duties on her LinkedIn profile. "The San Mateo Bail Agents Association is comprised of a group of licensed and experienced owner operated businesses in Redwood City and throughout San Mateo County,” it reads. 

Rankin’s roots run deep in Redwood City.  

Her aunt started the family's migration from the south to the west coast. She lived in Redwood City in the 1940s. Her mom was from Louisiana and came to visit her. While she was in town, she met Rankin’s father, James.

“They fell in love and she never went back home,” Rankin told Patch. Rankin was born in Sequoia Hospital and grew up in the Roosevelt neighborhood near Red Morton Park. She moved to Menlo Park for a brief period of time and went to Catholic School at St. Raymond. After school her aunt would babysit her in Redwood City.

Her intellectual diversity and unique life experiences shaped her position on the way she perceives local government. 

“I am a strong believer in creating opportunities for everyone to succeed,” she told Patch.  

“I understand as a mother and a parent what the troubles are that the schools have. If I were on Council, it would be a priority for me to make sure that our city builds really strong partnerships with the local school districts, and especially no- profit partnerships that are helping us to create programs that keep our youth busy,” she said.

If elected she would prioritize public safety, supporting local business, quality education, and affordable, sustainable housing, according to her website.

Virtually meet her by watching the video attached to these words.