Voters Decide Local Races
In Santa Barbara County, more than 50,000 people didn’t wait for Election Day to cast ballots in this year’s general election. Most of those ballots have been counted, and will be the first results released after polls close tonight at 8:00 p.m.
Voters will decide if incumbent Democrat Rep. Lois Capps returns to Congress. In Ventura County, incumbent first-term democrat Julia Brownley hopes to fend off a strong challenge from Republican Assemblyman Jeff Gorell.
National Democrats were concerned enough about Brownley and Capps that former President Bill Clinton made a last-minute campaign stop in Oxnard, and the party spent almost $100,000 in radio ads to attack Capps’ challenger.
In state government races, voters will decide their preferences in races ranging form Governor, where incumbent Democrat Jerry Brown holds a commanding lead over Neel Kashakari, to the state Superintendent of Public instruction race. Voters will also decide if incumbents Das Williams and Katcho Achadjian return to the State Assembly.
Other items on the ballot include bond measures for Santa Barbara City College, Cuesta College and other local school districts. Those measures must pass by 55% to gain approval.
In Santa Maria, five candidates are vying for two open seats on the City Council. Other council races include Buellton, Grover Beach, San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach.
Some mayor races are also on local ballots. In Paso Robles, Mayor Steven Martin is running unopposed. In Arroyo Grande, Mayor Tony Ferrara faces a write-in campaign from Jim Hill who qualified for the ballot after a controversy erupted over alleged inappropriate contact between city officials. Write-in votes are not tallied by individual on election night, so if write-in votes outnumber those cast for Ferrara, the exact numbers will not be known right away.
Live newscasts will have the latest results at 10:00 on Fox 11, and 11:00 on KEYT-3 and KCOY-12.
Full results will be posted online as quickly as the results are released.
