Ventura Votes are Cast

Ventura will have a new face on the City Council after Tuesday’s election is certified.

Deputy District Attorney Erik Nasarenko led the race with 8,423 votes or 18 percent of the registered voters who voted. Naserenko described himself as a soccer coach with school-age children. He said he wants to give children positive things to do.

Incumbents Mike Tracy with 6,504 votes, Neal Andrews with 6,364 votes and Jim Manahan with 5,874 votes appear to have won re-election.

But Richard Francis is close behind Monahan with 5,874 votes.

The only votes that still need to be counted are mail-in-ballots that were dropped off at polling places.

Ventura is the only city in Ventura County with an odd-year City Council election.

With 63,000 eligible voters in the city, turnout was low.

Nine candidates were on the ballot running for four open City Council seats. Each seat carries a four-year term.

The other candidates were David Swaffer, Lorrie Brown, Paul Meehan and Brian Lee Rencher.

The official winners will be sworn in Dec. 2, the same day the City Council will choose the next mayor.