City Council set as last of absentees counted, few provisional ballots left
November 29, 2006
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Although more results of ballots tallied – less than 200 - there are still an unknown amount of provisional votes out there, but they won’t change the outcome of the City Council and two land-use measures.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAlthough more results of ballots tallied – less than 200 - there are still an unknown amount of provisional votes out there, but they won’t change the outcome of the City Council and two land-use measures.Provisional ballots must be more thoroughly examined than the absentee ballots that had been handed in at the polls.With the latest release of ballots Santa Paula finally squeaked past the 50 percent turnout rate – at least on the land-use measures - although the numbers are deceiving: one land-use measure had a total of 5,617 votes for and against, but the total number of votes cast for the eight candidates seeking three openings on Council candidates was only 14,316, a number when divided by three is only 4,772, which would drop the turnout below 50 percent.The difference of 845 total votes cast could have been the result of voters only marking their ballots for one or two of the Council candidates.The latest results again shifted the numbers but the original lineup remains the same for the City Council: retired police chief Bob Gonzales continues to be the top vote-getter with 3,501 or 24.46 percent.First-time candidate Ralph Fernandez, an architect and community college instructor, still holds onto second place with 2,396 or 16.74 percent.
Dr. Gabino Aguirre, a high school principal and first-term Council incumbent, saw his lead grow to 144 votes over incumbent Mayor Rick Cook: Aguirre has 1,989 votes, or 13.89 percent.A retired SPPD Sergeant and Ventura County Public Defender’s Office Investigator, Cook, who was seeking a third term on the Council, has 1,845 votes, or 12.89 percent.Mary Ann Krause, a retired urban and regional planner who was seeking a second term on the Council, has 1,769 votes, or 12.36 percent of the vote.Fred Robinson, the executive director of ARC Ventura County, has 1,694 votes or 11.83 percent.Sergio Hernandez and Damien Shilo have 568 and 534 votes – 3.97 percent and 3.73 percent - respectively.Land-use Measure L6 – which for 20 years limits commercial and residential development to 80-contiguous acres unless voters approve larger projects - won by a wide majority with 3,460 votes, or 61.60 percent, with no votes coming in at 2,157 votes or 38.40 percent of the total.Measure K6 - which would open up funding for the Santa Paula Housing Authority to create or rehabilitate up to 150 units – failed with 2,877 no votes or 51.80 percent of the total and 2,677 yes votes or 48.20 percent of the total.