Election results: Yes on Measure AA in Desert Healthcare District leads big

(This story will be updated as votes are tabulated.)

Voters in the Coachella Valley went to the polls Tuesday to decide who will fill four seats on the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation Board of Directors. They also decided the fate of Measure AA, which proposed approving Tenet Health's new 30-year lease for Desert Regional Medical Center.

The Riverside County Registrar of Voters published updated vote numbers Thursday evening, which continued to show strong support for the ballot measure. Additionally, three candidates from Zones 1, 3 and 5 held their early leads as results continued to come in.

Measure AA

With 100% of precincts reporting, more than 89,000 voters, or 71.7%, voted "yes" on Measure AA. Just over 35,000 people, or 28.3%, voted no.

The proposed 30-year lease is between Tenet and the hospital's owner, the Desert Healthcare District, a public agency run by an elected board. The agreement is available to read at www.dhcd.org.

The terms of the lease include the sale of the hospital to Tenet at the end of the lease, bringing it into seismic compliance by 2030, expanding the emergency room at JFK Memorial in Indio and providing nearly $650 million in payments to the district.

The new lease would commence on May 31, 2027, and end May 21, 2057. The current lease between Tenet and the district expires May 30, 2027.

"We are encouraged by the results so far this evening," Michele Finney, CEO of Desert Care Network and Desert Regional Medical Center, said in a statement Tuesday night. "We are grateful to the voters who supported Measure AA because they recognize the important work that Desert Care Network hospitals do to ensure accessible healthcare for the Coachella Valley. We look forward to a positive final result. I want to give special thanks to our staff, nurses, physicians and the many community organizations who endorsed Measure AA and helped support this initiative. With a positive vote, we can continue the successful public-private partnership between the District and Tenet Healthcare to improve the health and well-being of our diverse community."

Desert Healthcare District CEO Chris Christensen said Wednesday morning that "our board and staff respect the voters’ decision to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with Tenet Healthcare. Their yes vote on Measure AA means that hospital care will continue uninterrupted. It’s also an exciting time for the healthcare district as we reimagine our role and build upon our legacy of increasing access to healthcare for all valley residents."

Coachella Valley results: Live results of races across the Coachella Valley

Zone 1 race

Three candidates vied for the Zone 1 seat, which includes most of Palm Springs, a small portion of Cathedral City, almost all of Rancho Mirage and a small part of Palm Desert.

The candidates were Palm Springs resident Greg Rodriguez, deputy director of Government Affairs and Community Engagement for Riverside County's Housing and Workforce Solutions Department; Rancho Mirage resident Dr. Robert Piecuch, a newborn intensivist at Loma Linda University Medical Center; and Rancho Mirage resident Rick Lykins, who has managed commercial construction projects in the Coachella Valley for the last 25 years.

With votes still being counted, Rodriguez had received 50.84% (13,287) of the vote as of Thursday, followed by Piecuch at 35.09% (9,170) and Lykins at 14.07% (3,677).

"I am honored and humbled to have received their support," Rodriguez said in a statement Tuesday night. "I look forward to expanding healthcare access the valley."

Zone 3 race

Zone 3 includes parts of Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert and Bermuda Dunes. Claudia Galvez, a La Quinta resident who currently serves as the chief officer of government and community relations at Innercare, and Palm Desert resident Dr. Daniel Logsdon, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Eisenhower Health ran for the seat.

As of Thursday, Logsdon was ahead 57.93% (11,231) compared to Galvez's 42.07% (8,157).

"I am honored by the trust and support of the residents of Zone 3 in electing me to serve on the Desert Healthcare District Board," Logsdon said in a statement Wednesday. "I am committed to representing our shared vision for accessible, transformative, and high-quality healthcare services."

"The approval of Measure AA carries a resounding significance and holds a meaningful impact for our community, as residents have clearly expressed their expectations for the agreement between Desert Regional Hospital and Tenet. I am committed to overseeing this process with transparency and diligence, ensuring we add the greatest value to our community with a long-lasting, profound impact," he added.

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Zone 5

Incumbent Arthur Shorr sought another term as the Zone 5 director, which oversees parts of Palm Desert, Bermuda Dunes and Indio.

Additionally, Palm Desert resident Carlos E. Garcia mounted a run for the seat. Garcia is a market researcher, with a focus on the Hispanic space, who also works with the Insights Association on its IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Council to guide research projects.

As of Thursday night, Shorr had received 53% (10,505) of votes compared to Garcia's 47% (9,174).

Zone 7

Incumbent Leticia De Lara was the only candidate for the Zone 7 seat, which represents Coachella, Thermal, Mecca, Oasis and other communities around the Salton Sea.

She was the first person to represent Zone 7 on the board. Voters approved extending district boundaries east of Cook Street in November 2018, which led to the addition of two board seats for a total of seven. De Lara was appointed to serve on the board until 2020, and then was reelected that year. She previously served as the board president.

Outside of her involvement with the board, De Lara is the chief executive officer of the Regional Access Project Foundation, which provides funding, oversight, technical assistance and guidance to nonprofit, community-based organizations or other collaborative groups.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Election results: Measure AA and Desert Healthcare District