These candidates are leading after Tuesday’s elections in Sacramento, Yolo counties
With hundreds of ballots left to count, results for Tuesday’s special elections in the capital region were far from certain.
Voters decided upon candidates in two school board elections in Sacramento County and a community services district in Yolo County. Turnout was extremely low in Sacramento County, with roughly 12% of voters casting mail-in or in-person ballots for the off-year races.
The next update will be released Thursday, election officials said.
There were 2,500 mailed ballots in Sacramento County left to be counted as of 10:45 a.m., said Ken Casparis, a spokesman for for the election office. Every in-person vote has been tallied and the results show a mix of both in-person votes and mail-in ballots, he said.
In Yolo County, tabulators had 31 ballots left to count, officials said.
Natomas Unified School District, Area 4
Only a handful of votes separate the top three contenders in the Natomas district race.
Six candidates sought the seat after incumbent Cindy Quiralte resigned less than five months into a four-year term following her election in November. Among the candidates vying for the seat, Scott Dosick, a business advocate and former board member, held a slim lead over Amir Khan, a business owner, and Brenda L. Borge, a retired educator.
“It’s certainly a nail-biter at this moment,” Khan said.
For Borge, she noted the results were very encouraging and looks forward to seeing the updated tally Thursday.
The top three contenders each marveled at how far they had come when campaigning over the past few months. They also thanked their supporters and volunteers for helping them.
“The voters have spoken, we just don’t know what they said yet,” Dosick said.
Dosick, Khan and Borge each received more than 23% of the vote — 301, 294 and 287 votes respectively.
Other candidates — Monique Hokman, a businesswoman and mother; Krystal King, an early childhood educator; and Shahzad “Shawn” Anwar, technologist, real estate agent and parent— trailed after the preliminary tally.
The winner will represent students and parents in North Natomas, Creekside, Natomas Creek, Village 7 and Natomas Park. Schools in the area include Heron School and Natomas Middle School.
San Juan Unified School District, Area 7
Two candidates vying for a new seat in the district’s Citrus Heights neighborhoods are separated by about 300 votes through Tuesday’s initial tally.
Manuel Perez, a father and commercial driver, was ahead of Murad “Moe” Sarama, a parent and businessman, by six to five.
Perez said in a phone interview he was happy with the first results, but noted there are still many ballots left to count.
Sarama also said he knows residents who voted late Tuesday.
“We are still in the game, as far as I am concerned,” he said.
Perez received 1,833 ballots, or 54.8% of the votes. Sarama got 1,510 votes, or 45.2% of the votes.
Mesa Verde and San Juan High Schools are within the boundaries of this San Juan USD ward.
Knights Landing Community Services District
Candidates Ramon Lomeli and Teresa Conrique Borrego are leading for two open seats for the town of about 1,000 people on the banks of the Sacramento River north of Woodland.
The district provides services including “water, wastewater, streetlight, parks and recreation and storm drainage control,” according to Yolo County.
Lomeli has 27 votes and Borrego has 20 — ahead of the third candidate, Lucila Barcena, who has 15 votes.
