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Local winners look certain as ballot counting continues
2020 political art

Even though 212,586 ballots cast in Stanislaus County have been counted, the local Elections Office continues to process any ballots received from other counties or through the mail. Vote-by-mail ballots are considered “timely” if received by mail with a postmark of no later than Nov. 3.

Assembly Bill 860 requires counties to accept and count postmarked ballots that are received within 17 days after the election.

California law requires certification of the election to be on or before Dec. 3, which is 30 days following the election.

The office continues the one percent hand tally of the vote which will continue until completed.

The final count is not expected to change the results of local elections. Javier Lopez led over Councilman Bret Durossette to become the next mayor of Ceres. Lopez, a political newcomer, received 8,548 votes (55.61 percent) to Councilman Bret Durossette’s 6,824 votes (44.39 percent).

In Ceres City Council District 3, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputy and Planning Commissioner Bret Silveira came out on top in a pack of four candidates. The unofficial tally showed Silveira received 1,863 votes (39.99 percent), to Juan Pablo Vazquez’s 1,304 votes (27.99 percent), Mohinder Singh Kanda, 794 votes (17.04 percent) and Brandy Meyer’s 698 votes (14.98 percent).

Silveira will take Durossette’s District 3 seat.

Replacing incumbent City Councilman Mike Kline in District 4 will be former Planning Commissioner Couper Condit who received 1,213 votes (38.39 percent) while Kline lagged behind with 749 votes, or 23.7 percent. Candidate Daniel Martinez collected 607 votes (19.21 percent) for third place while Eric A. Gonzalez received 591 votes (18.7 percent).

Kayla Martinez won the city treasurer race over Sopheap Dong-Carreon. Martinez won 8,634 votes (59.46 percent), while Dong-Carreon came in second place with 5,886 votes (40.54 percent). Martinez replaces longtime treasurer Harry Herbert.

Councilman Channce Condit will be vacating his four-year seat midway through his term following his election to the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. Condit defeated Tom Hallinan, the Ceres city attorney, in an outcome of 18,231 votes (60.12 percent) to 12,094 votes (39.88 percent). The council vacancy will have to be filled by City Council appointment or by special election.

Congressman Josh Harder cruised to re-election with 161,745 votes (55.2 percent) to GOP challenger Ted Howze who received 131,447 votes (44.8 percent).

Elected judge to Superior Court Office 5 was John Mayne with 105,227 votes over Kenneth Hara at 81,339 votes.

In Hughson, Jeramy Young ran unopposed to collect 2,716 votes. Being an uncontested race, 440 Hughson voters opted to skip marking their ballot for Young.

Elected to the Hughson City Council were Samuel T. Rush Jr. who collected 1,563 votes (36.03 percent) and Ramon Bawanan who collected 1,442 votes (33.24 percent). Losing his bid was Michael Buck who picked up the support of 1,333 voters (30.73 percent).

Hughson voters supported Measure V which allows a four-year mayoral term. The measure received 1,730 “yes” votes (56.1 percent) to 1,354 “no” votes (43.9 percent).

Voters in the Hughson Fire Protection District overwhelmingly supported Measure W to help support rapid fire protection and emergency medical response is continued. The district will levy an annual special tax for 12 years, including $39.75/ per residential unit, raising approximately $167,000 annually to acquire lifesaving equipment and emergency vehicles/apparatus, and to fund improvements to the fire station. Measure W received 3,075 “yes” votes (61.41 percent) and 1,932 “no” votes (1,932 votes).

Winning a seat on the Keyes Union School District Board of Trustees was Mike Bernal with 239 votes, or 60.35 percent, over Harinder Grewal’s 157 votes (39.65 percent).

Elected to the Monterey Park Tract Community Services District board were Francisco J. Diaz with 24 votes, and Susan L. Stransky, 17 votes. Narrowly edged out was Jerry Ann Gradford with 15 votes.