Valdivia earns a fourth term
In a race that is still too close to call, Sergio Montanez is
holding onto a 14-vote lead over Robert Scattini in the city
council’s District 2 contest, according to unofficial election
results.
Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia, meanwhile, won her race in
convincing fashion for a fourth term on the Hollister City Council
representing District 3, according to unofficial election
results.
The elections office said Wednesday it still needed to count an
additional 2,800 mail-in ballots and another 400 to 500 provisional
ballots before the election results were official.
Valdivia earns a fourth term
In a race that is still too close to call, Sergio Montanez is holding onto a 14-vote lead over Robert Scattini in the city council’s District 2 contest, according to unofficial election results.
Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia, meanwhile, won her race in convincing fashion for a fourth term on the Hollister City Council representing District 3, according to unofficial election results.
The elections office said Wednesday it still needed to count an additional 2,800 mail-in ballots and another 400 to 500 provisional ballots before the election results were official.
With all precincts counted, Montanez held a slim, 36.5 percent to 34.7 percent, over the former councilmember and marshal Scattini, according to the results. Estevan Guzman finished in third with just over 28 percent of the vote.
Montanez had 282 votes to Scattini’s 268 and Guzman’s 217.
Montanez or Scattini will succeed current councilwoman Eugenia Sanchez who chose not to run for a second term on the city council. Sanchez defeated Scattini for the seat in 2006.
Montanez, an accountant, remained happy but realized things could change over the next few days, he said.
“So far, so good,” he said. “I hope to hold this lead. It’s close, too close to call, but I’m really happy with the results so far.”
He said he is going to wait patiently until the final votes are tallied.
Ballots are expected to be counted by the end of the week, possibly carrying over until Monday, said Joe Paul Gonzalez, head election’s official.
Sitting at third, Guzman realized his chances were slim but it was still close.
“I think it was really close,” he said. “I did everything. I gave it my all – I tried my best to win.”
He was somewhat disappointed but he still plans on being vocal within the community, he said.
“I was willing and ready to go four years at 100 percent. Unfortunately, it didn’t go that way.”
Guzman did see benefits. He thought Montanez and Scattini could handle the job.
“I think he’ll (Montanez) do a good job if he has the community at heart and not himself,” he said. “And Scattini has done it before. I have a positive feeling.”
Scattini did not return calls before publication.
Valdivia wins again
Valdivia defeated Scott McPhail, director of the Purple Cross Rx marijuana dispensary, by gaining 67.4 percent in the race for District 3 to represent the south-central side of the city.
Valdivia, executive director of Jovenes de Antano, received 749 votes to 357 for McPhail, who came in with 32.1 percent of the vote.
The elections office still had to count an additional 2,800 vote-by-mail ballots and another 400 to 500 provisional ballots as of early Wednesday, according to head elections official Joe Paul Gonzalez.
With the victory, Valdivia has earned a fourth term on the council and has sustained her seat through the six-year building moratorium, lagging economic development and Hollister’s growing financial troubles.
“My community still wants me to be there,” she said. “I’m going to do the best I can. They know where my heart is.”
Her opponent, McPhail, who could not be reached before publication, did little campaigning or fundraising in the race.
Valdivia acknowledged problems with city reserves that are bottoming out and said council members will have to work with the funds they have for the next couple years, because she doesn’t envision the economy will turn around before then. She talked in general about the need to attract new businesses to the area, particularly the downtown, and noted how she “leans a little more” toward advocating for affordable housing when it comes to the building market.
Pinnacle staff writer Connor Ramey contributed to this report.
