Stephens projected to win Hollister mayor race

Newcomer Roxanne Stephens is projected to hand incumbent Hollister Mayor Mia Casey a resounding defeat according to election results so far. Stephens got 64.35% of the vote, while Casey trailed far behind with 35.65% of the votes cast. Only 36.87% of total eligible votes have been counted so far. 

Stephens, who works as a social work consultant, ran on a slow growth platform set on curbing residential development and improving infrastructure. She said in a phone call on Wednesday morning that the results countywide indicate a referendum on how politics are done in San Benito County.

“I think that, what it reflects is that people really are not happy with what’s happened in the last two years, and they’re ready to just do things differently and have somebody that’s really representing their needs,” Stephens said. “I’m ready to start rolling up my sleeves and do that.”

Casey sought to finish the work she began as mayor after being elected in 2022. She ran with a focus on infrastructure improvements, economic development, transparency and safety.

Stephens said that her first order of business as mayor will be to stop Hollister’s expanding sphere of influence and curb residential growth until infrastructure needs are addressed.

“The roads — especially on the east side and in the downtown — those roads are crumbling. There’s potholes, there’s cracks. It’s really bad, and we really need to make those roads a priority. It seems like the roads in other parts of that of the city are being worked on, on things that are very minor, that don’t seem to be very urgent,” Stephens said.

She also said she will work to bring back the Fourth of July biker rally for 2025.

Stephens is hoping to be a unifier on a city council that has had frequent public spats between members over the last few years.

“When you bring people together that are in conflict, you can almost always find that common goal, and then help them to focus on that and move forward. And I’ve been doing that kind of work for 30 years. I’m going to do that at the city council level,” Stephens said.

Stephens will only serve a two year term, after Hollister voters failed to pass Measure W, which would have extended the mayoral term to four years.