Three seats on the dais will be up for grabs in the crowded Nov. 3 West Hollywood City Council election. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The field of prospective candidates seeking three seats on the West Hollywood City Council continues to expand as the Aug. 7 filing deadline approaches, with 21 people having pulled nomination papers as of Aug. 3. Four candidates have officially qualified for the Nov. 3 ballot, according to the city.

Among those who have recently pulled nomination papers since the Beverly Press last reported on the race are Auralia Betka, James Croak, Tom Demille, Marlon Gobel, Carlos Godoy, Kevin Ligon, John Owen, Michael Pacitti, Winter Tucker, Asher Vandevort and Joel Zaldivar.

Candidates previously announced in the race include Larry Block, Kyle Brazeal, Chelsea Byers, Kody Christiansen, Jonathan Cottrell, John Duran, Chiedu Egbuniwe, Helen Krieger, Stephen Post and Tatyana “Tanya” Tsikanovsky.

Paola Ferrari and Jonathan Wilson previously announced their candidacies but did not appear on the city’s Aug. 3 list of individuals who have pulled nomination papers.

According to the city, Block, Christiansen, Cottrell and Tsikanovsky qualified for the ballot as of Aug. 3. Brazeal returned nomination papers but has ­not yet qualified, while the remaining prospective candidates have pulled papers but have not completed the filing process.

Betka, Croak, Demille, Godoy, Ligon, Owen, Pacitti, Tucker, Vandevort and Zaldivar could not be reached for comment by press time.

Gobel, founder of his namesake fashion label Marlon Gobel, said his experience as a business owner and creative director has prepared him to help lead the city.

“I am running for City Council because West Hollywood deserves leadership that understands how to manage complex operations while preserving our distinct, rebellious and authentic spirit,” Gobel said. “I will bring fiscal discipline, project management expertise and an unwavering dedication to making our community a vibrant, sustainable and forward-thinking destination for residents and creators alike.”

Gobel said his background includes serving as director of operations for fashion designer Thom Browne and participating in NASA’s next-generation spacesuit study. He said his career has required balancing creative vision with operational management and strategic planning.

The election will fill three City Council seats currently held by Councilwoman Chelsea Byers, Mayor John Heilman and Councilwoman Lauren Meister. Byers is seeking reelection, while Heilman and Meister are term-limited and cannot seek another term.

Resident Joshua Baum and Planning Commissioner Mark Edwards previously announced campaigns but later suspended them.

The filing period closes Aug. 7. To qualify for the ballot, prospective candidates must submit the required nomination documents, including signatures from at least 20 registered West Hollywood voters, and satisfy all other legal requirements.